Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“But what about the lurkers?”

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Second rate reporter says what?

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

When the time comes to make an endorsement, the pain of NYT editors will be palpable as they reluctantly whisper “Biden.”

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

Nikki Haley, who can’t acknowledge ‘slavery’, is a pathetic shill.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Let’s show the world that autocracy can be defeated.

Fight them, without becoming them!

I was promised a recession.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Dolt 45 / Friday Evening Open Thread: Overlooked in the Noise

Friday Evening Open Thread: Overlooked in the Noise

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Yeah, probably just symbolic, but good for Rep. Barbara Lee [warning: autoplay] —

The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved an amendment that would revoke a 2001 law giving the president authority to undertake war against al Qaeda and its affiliates unless a replacement provision is created.

Lawmakers applauded when the amendment was added by voice vote to the defense spending bill, highlighting the frustration many members of Congress feel about the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which was initially approved to authorize the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

It has since been used to justify the Iraq War and the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Despite the applause, it is unclear whether it will make it past the Senate and be included in a final version of a defense spending bill. The amendment would revoke the 2001 AUMF after 240 days following the passing of the act, forcing Congress to vote on a new AUMF in the interim…

Just in time for Independence Day, too.

What else is on the agenda as we start the (long, for some of us) weekend?

Reader Interactions

243Comments

  2. 2.

    sharl

    That first link in the blockquote needs a complete URL.

    As for the story, this blew the minds of a number of leftie youngs and mil-vets I follow; totally unexpected.
    We’ll see if it goes anywhere.

    ETA: derp – just saw the link in the first tweet goes to the right place, which is here.

  4. 4.

    Baud

    Rachel covered this last night. Tim Kaine has been pushing this in the Senate for a long time also. This is a nice bit of good news. Kudos to Lee.

  5. 5.

    dmsilev

    So, that “voter fraud” commission is off to a great start. Via TPM,

    Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann (R) didn’t mince words in his response to calls for all 50 secretaries of state to hand over sensitive voter information to President Donald Trump’s bogus “election integrity” commission: “Jump in the Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi is a great State to launch from.”

  7. 7.

    Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]

    I posted this in the last thread, but it’s much more appropriate here. Remember a few weeks ago Cheryl Rofer started a thread with a glovebox that had plutonium ingots placed together in violation of so many safety procedures up at Los Alamos? The magazine Science has a much more detailed write up on what happened as well as some of the internal fallout of the picture.

    article link here

  8. 8.

    NCSteve

    Now if only they could take the nuclear football away from him.

    I have this hope that they pulled out the real codes and substituted an old set that are no longer valid but look authentic, but I have no evidence to support it.

  9. 9.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @dmsilev: Supposed even Kansas Sec of State who runs the comission won’t even comply with his own demand. I think we are way over thinking these Conservatards

  12. 12.

    kindness

    I remember when many in the media, in the Republican side and sadly too many on the Democratic side were calling Barbara Lee treasonous for her vote.

    Today she rocked it.

  13. 13.

    low-tech cyclist

    Saw this yesterday evening in time to call Rep. Lee’s district office in CA before they closed to ask them to pass along my sincere thanks to the Congresswoman.

    Still amazed. Was starting to think this damned thing would never go away, now there’s a fighting chance.

  14. 14.

    Major Major Major Major

    Unvarnished good news for once, I think.

    Cue the usual suspects telling me how this will never pass the senate.

    Tonight I’m finishing the submission form for “on the road” pictures for y’all. My husband leaves for a vacation tonight (his company cashed his sabattical benefit out early) so I’ll be free to be as antisocial as I want for the rest of the weekend. College friends and video games and drawing comics it is!

    Might also see Baby Driver.

  16. 16.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Here’s the current count of states refusing to give their voter info to Kobach:

  19. 19.

    Jeffro

    @NCSteve:

    Now if only they could take the nuclear football away from him.

    I have this hope that they pulled out the real codes and substituted an old set that are no longer valid but look authentic, but I have no evidence to support it.

    They’d do better to just put a Slinky in there…I hear they’re fun!

    Barring that, perhaps an iPad with some reruns of Morning Blow, back when they used to kiss his ass? That’d keep him in a blissed out fugue state for days…

  20. 20.

    dmsilev

    @Cheryl Rofer: Someone compiled a Google doc listing the current status for all of the states (+DC). So far, it’s all either “go jump in a lake (or the Gulf of Mexico)” or “only stuff that’s already public information”.

  21. 21.

    TS

    Just reading the last thread – my life always runs late – and noticed there and elsewhere, many have decided Trump is not well – maybe has a mental illness.

    Given he is a white male this is the standard excuse. If he was black or female he would not be given the “mental illness” defense. The guy is dumb and stupid – who hates on anyone who is not bowing before him. He thought the job was about being the King and calling the serfs to do his bidding. He found out otherwise, but decided he liked his way better. He knows nothing about the job, is incapable of learning about the job & no-one competent wants to work for him (He allows no-one to work “with him”).

    He will love having all or any of his authorities invoked. He much prefers others to make the decisions while he plays golf, sends tweets and watches TV.

  23. 23.

    Miss Bianca

    @Omnes Omnibus: @Cheryl Rofer: I’m finding myself oddly in sympathy with the honorable SOS of Mississippi, and find myself wishing that the honorable SOS of CO had managed something similar:

    In the event I were to receive correspondence from the Commission requesting the following,

    ‘if publicly available under the laws of the state, the full first and last names of all registrants, middle names or initials if available, addresses, dates of birth, political party (if recorded in your state), last four digits of social security number if available, voter history (elections voted in) from 2006 onward, active/inactive status, cancelled status, information regarding any felony convictions, information regarding voter registration in another state, information regarding military status, and overseas citizen information,’

    My reply would be: They can go jump in the Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi is a great State to launch from.

    Mississippi residents should celebrate Independence Day and our State’s right to protect the privacy of our citizens by conducting our own electoral processes.”

  26. 26.

    Miss Bianca

    @Major Major Major Major: Re-posted from previous thread:

    Thank you for contacting me. I want to assure you that Colorado will not provide any of the protected personal identifying information requested in the letter. Colorado will only provide the voter information that is publicly available to anyone.
    Our press release on the subject may be found here: http://www.sos.state.co.us/pub…..Files.html
    Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
    Wayne Williams
    Colorado Secretary of State

  27. 27.

    PhoenixRising

    Barbara Lee, Mills ’73. The woman who dragged the government majors from my class through her office by our ears, so we’d understand what we were getting into. (The degradation of our social norms since dictates that I mention this was metaphorical.)

  29. 29.

    ruemara

    I kinda wish all I had to think about was the latest in King Drumpf’s disasters. My sink backed up yesterday, twice, spewing some fetid skunkwater & stuff all over my kitchen. Turns out it was my neighbors sink backwash from their busted pipes. No kitchen and nearly 24 hours of emailing and calling with absolute silence from the property managers. OMG. This is annoying.I have no kitchen, will have to buy foods and I’m on a restrictive diet. I am hating my landlord right now.

  30. 30.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Miss Bianca: Hooray!

    @TS:

    Just reading the last thread – my life always runs late – and noticed there and elsewhere, many have decided Trump is not well – maybe has a mental illness.

    Given he is a white male this is the standard excuse. If he was black or female he would not be given the “mental illness” defense. The guy is dumb and stupid – who hates on anyone who is not bowing before him. He thought the job was about being the King and calling the serfs to do his bidding. He found out otherwise, but decided he liked his way better. He knows nothing about the job, is incapable of learning about the job & no-one competent wants to work for him (He allows no-one to work “with him”).

    All of these personality traits are accurate, and he’s been that way for a long time! However, it’s also true that in addition to that he’s showing noticeable signs of cognitive decline on top of it all.

  31. 31.

    debbie

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Kobach was interviewed on NPR this afternoon. Either he’s too stupid to know that SS numbers are in fact confidential or he doesn’t care.

  33. 33.

    Patricia Kayden

    @dmsilev: @Miss Bianca: When you’ve lost Mississippi ….

    @debbie: He doesn’t care. He wants to suppress votes for Democrats at all costs. Democrats need to file a lawsuit about whether this data grab is constitutional.

  36. 36.

    debbie

    @ruemara:

    You’re not being too polite when you call, are you? My building has 6 townhouses. My neighbors with a newborn baby thought it wouldn’t be a problem to flush paper towels (the building has low water pressure to begin with). The entire building’s sewage backed up into my basement (not a whole lot, but it was very stinky). The tone in my voice when I called maintenance resulted in speedy service that same day.

    Be tough.

  39. 39.

    Chyron HR

    Can we not call it a “voter fraud commission” since that implies that voter fraud exists?

    Maybe just split the difference and say “fraud commission”.

  40. 40.

    d58826

    FSM These people are unbelievable
    Mrs Yurtle say he is new to politics and as a citizen he is entitled to say what he does.
    And Kellyanne says well its sorta ok because he is being attacked in public and he is a counter puncher.

    After pulling teeth they finally said well they didn’t agree with the actual wording. The thing is – most of the attacks are political. It goers with the territory. And for the personnel stuff
    remember birth certificates. And now the GOPER talking head is quoting Michelle. Joy Reid is asking the GOOPER about what is Der Fuhrer’s position on the healthcare bill. And her answer was ah well ah well ah the democrats should reach across the aisle and compromise.

  44. 44.

    SiubhanDuinne

    O/T for Alain if you’re around: The up and down arrows keep appearing and disappearing arbitrarily, and when they do appear, they don’t work.

    Assume you are working your magic behind the scenes, but if not then there’s a bit of a hiccup that needs attention at some point.

    I’m on iPad Air, Safari, Desktop.

  45. 45.

    ruemara

    @debbie: I’m pretty polite but in this case I’ve called so much. But I’m about to have my friend lawyer send a letter to the owner. A girl has no kitchen, then an owner has no rent.

  46. 46.

    The Simp in the Suit

    @Chyron HR:

    Maybe just split the difference and say “fraud commission”.

    How about “Fraudulent Presidential Fraudulent Commission”

  48. 48.

    Turgidson

    @Baud:

    All it took was the tainted election of an unhinged, ignorant wannabe fascist with the attention span of a fruit fly and a temperament most toddlers would find distasteful for it to get through the thick, thick skulls of most of our Congressfreaks that maybe this was an idea worth considering. The system works!!

  50. 50.

    Sab

    @debbie: My first French teacher was Madame Garcia. She always laughed when I screwed up in class by answering her French questions in Spanish. I had just moved from Florida and didn’t know any French yet.

  52. 52.

    debbie

    @Major Major Major Major:

    1. My only Spanish was in fourth grade … predating the Conquistadors. ;)
    2. That was Google Translate. All I remember from high school French is “Mon livre est sur le table,” which seemed inappropriate.

  53. 53.

    Ohio Mom

    @ruemara: That happened to me once but I was out of town. Came home to dried out skunk water. My landlord was not very helpful, either. I feel for you.

  54. 54.

    debbie

    @ruemara:

    Absolutely. At the very least, you shouldn’t have to pay the full amount. A kitchen is as essential as heat or hot water, and it’s the landlord’s responsibility to provide that in exchange for your rent. Check your lease.

  55. 55.

    No Drought No More

    I submit that Lee’s success is due in large part to the realization shared by Americans that they were big-lied into waging the 2003 war in Iraq – despite that fact remains a taboo truth and unspoken by republicans and democratic politicians alike (and by my political lights anyway, inexplicably unspoken).

  56. 56.

    NotMax

    @ruemara

    First, I am not a lawyer.

    Second, it is always better to put the rent into an escrow account as opposed to not paying it (and make note that that is what you are doing in the certified letter).

    Third, check with a lawyer with experience in landlord-tenant matters before doing anything.

  57. 57.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Sab: I know two languages fairly well other than English, and any time I try to speak a third it first, and uselessly, forms as one of them in my brain. Double uselessly, really, since one of them is Latin.

  60. 60.

    Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism

    @dmsilev: Tell the King “Casse toi!”

    I’ve been singing that line all day as each refusal comes in.

  61. 61.

    LesGS

    @Sab: Hah! I kept responding to my German teacher in Greek, having just moved from Athens. Fortunately, she knew Greek and laughed as well.

  62. 62.

    Ohio Mom

    @ruemara: If your landlord doesn’t snap to it, you might want to check with your local board of health and/or city hall: not having a working kitchen, let alone a kitchen filled with sewerage, could be a violation of the housing code.

  66. 66.

    Patricia Kayden

    @ruemara: ((ruemara)) That’s awful. I would be steaming mad and cussing up a storm at the landlord (and I don’t even cuss). Hope the landlord gets back to you asap. You should find out where you can complain about the landlord’s conduct after this issue has been addressed because 24 hours without a kitchen is not acceptable.

  68. 68.

    Mnemosyne

    @ruemara:

    California still has pretty good tenant protection laws, so check into that aspect of it. They are NOT permitted to leave you with a non-working sink.

  72. 72.

    efgoldman

    @p.a.:

    This is one act taken up by the McConnell/Pence Regency

    I doubt that Yertle McTurtle lets it see the light of day in the senate. I mean, what’s in it for him?
    Also, AUMF or no, if “the president” orders troops to go somewhere and shoot at somebody, they’re going and shooting.

  74. 74.

    lamh36

    Evening peeps…

    So…Lesson learned…don’t listen to Rhythm Nation while in the shower ??? i didn’t have an “I’ve fallen and i can’t get up moment” but i did have to stop myself from dancing !!!

    https://youtu.be/OAwaNWGLM0c

  76. 76.

    lamh36

    Day 1 of my 5 day work break…cleaned the apartment from wall to wall…realized this place is too small for it to get as scattered with junk as it gets…

    So goal for next 5 days and on…keep the apartment straightened up.

    I even washed & dried & folded all the dirty clothes in the house!

    Yay…me!

  83. 83.

    Aleta

    @ruemara: For the next call, calmly say that if they don’t have someone there fixing it by x o’clock (your choice) you will send a report to the state attorney general, the local BBB, the dept of health and whatever tenants organization applies. Mention the health risk caused by the damage and the expense of eating out and the restricted diet.

  84. 84.

    Mnemosyne

    So since I’ve already reached my RDA for Sick of Trump, what’s everyone doing this weekend? I’m taking Monday off so I have a four-day weekend ahead of me. G and I may finally go see Wonder Woman since it’s still at the theater with reclining seats.

  86. 86.

    lamh36

    @Ruckus: Shiiid… I barely want to do my own, that’s why the tiny apartment gets so cluttered…lol.

    If I didn’t consider it a waste of money, takes only a few hours to straighten up, I’d be so lazy and pay someone to clean while I’m at work…lol

  87. 87.

    gene108

    @No Drought No More:

    Despite all the lies to get authority to go to war Bush had already succeeded in getting a long standing international goal achieved: Getting Saddam to let inspectors back in.

    If they were serious about WMD’s, they succeeded in mitigating the threat in October 2002.

    They had won the WMD point.

    The Congressional vote had paved the way for this success.

    But that wasn’t good enough for Bush. He and he alone had the authority at the time to start the war.

    It was solely his decision to enter a pointless war, even though he won the day on why he wanted the authority in October.

  92. 92.

    efgoldman

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Democrats need to file a lawsuit about whether this data grab is constitutional.

    Or tell the asshole: “Hey, asshole. All that information is in public records. If you want it, send an army of interns out to EACH county or municipality and let them get it the old fashioned way.
    Oh, by the way, that’s $14.95/page, under our state FOIA laws.”

    Fuckem

  94. 94.

    Sab

    schrodinger’s_cat:

    How many alphabets do you know? (I know ‘alphabet’ is too limited but can’t think of the broader-meaning word).

  95. 95.

    dmsilev

    @Mnemosyne: Flying out tomorrow to visit my parents. Preplanned trip, but turned out to be good timing since father went through partial hip replacement surgery today (side effect of chemo is neuropathy, which lead to a fall a few weeks ago, and it wasn’t diagnosed as a cracked femur until a few days ago). Surgery went well, but rehab will be a long road. And thankfully the damn tumor appears to be dead.

  96. 96.

    J R in WV

    @Aleta:

    Rent now due is minus days of daily rent due since utility failure, minus cost of laundry outside apartment, minus cost of meals outside apartment. All of which adds up fast.

    Daily repost of current standard payments versus current payments adjusted for utility failure.

  97. 97.

    jl

    @Baud:

    ” That’s awesome. ”

    You are welcome. All right thinking sensible people are longing for the day that they can bask in the glory of Housorial, Senatorial, Gubernatorial, or PRESIDENTIAL tweets from the Right Honourable Baud.

    Edit: but I guess if needed, we can settle for veep. You could be the Biden’s Biden in that spot.

  101. 101.

    jl

    @chris: wini widi wiki! I didn’t know that the Roman’s had wikipedia. Who wudda thunk? I gotta figure out how to wini widi the Wikipedia. I just read it now.

  104. 104.

    jl

    @Baud: Yeah, I’d advise shapchat for you. Glad you have some good advisers on board.

    Does it have video yet? I don’t think still pics can capture all the Presidential snorts, tokes, swigs, staggers, dry heaves and spills that a Baud presidency will produce.

    Edit: except the sign on your desk that says ‘The buck doesn’t stop here… and why don’t you mind your own damn business, buddy?” would make a good still.

  107. 107.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @dmsilev:

    And thankfully the damn tumor appears to be dead.

    The only good tumor is a dead tumor.

    Glad to hear it. May it be ever thus.

  109. 109.

    Mnemosyne

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    I’m trying to figure out a good day for the Huntington and see the Octavia Butler exhibit. At least it’s not supposed to be 106 again this weekend.

  113. 113.

    TriassicSands

    @dmsilev
    Clearly, in his short time in office Genralissimo Trumpsky has earned a great deal of respect among members of both parties. I have no doubt he is universally considered a terrible waste of raw materials. It’s too bad the majority of Republicans in Congress will pretend he’s not the worthless sack of flacid semi-humanity that he is just so they can try to use him to pass a horrific agenda.

    Question: how many female Republican representatives and Senators would make a conscious effort to avoid beig touched in any way (handshake, pat on the back, etc.) by the Pussy Grabber? I wonder if any would go to the lengths that I’ve seen some Chinese citizens (attending an American college or university) go to in order to avoid having a clueless American touch them? It might be fun to see.

  114. 114.

    jl

    @Baud: No problems. You’ve long ago established Trumpan levels of credibility. No one can say you didn’t diligently prepare for the office.

  117. 117.

    Iowa Old Lady

    Mr IOL’s mother died yesterday at age 100. She lived alone and drove until she was 95. We all should have such a good run. I lift a glass to her.

  126. 126.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Sab: A few years ago, I arrived blearily in De Gaulle airport after an overnight flight, went up to a cafe in the airport, and found myself unable to pull out the most basic French from my brain. Some phrase or other with the word “leche” popped out. The server immediately decided I was a Spaniard and proceeded to conduct the rest of the transaction in “my” language with obvious pride, despite the fact that after a few seconds my French did start coming back to me.

    These kind of multilingual experiences are among the most treasured of my European memories.

  128. 128.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Iowa Old Lady:

    No matter how old, it’s always a loss; no matter how expected, it’s always a shock. Sounds as though IOLMIL had a great life. Hope her transition was easy and peaceful. Rest and peace to her, condolences to Mr. IOL, and hugs and love to all who knew and cherished her.

  130. 130.

    TriassicSands

    @Patricia Kayden:

    Democrats need to file a lawsuit about whether this data grab is constitutional.

    I’m not sure that’s a good idea. We might not like the decision the current SCOTUS would deliver. And then it would be set in constitutional stone — removable, but not easily. Since we’re not likely to have a sane Court majority for some years to come, it might be better if the majority of states render the exercise meaningless by refusing to cooperate and leave it at that.

  132. 132.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @Baud:

    She’s bringing it – saying what needs to be said. Laying out the argument.

  133. 133.

    (((CassandraLeo)))

    Regarding the shitgibbon, I think a credible case could be made that he qualifies as a clinical narcissist (more specifically, a malignant narcissist), and there are obvious signs of cognitive decline merely since last year, much less over the decades. Read his interviews in the ’80s or ’90s; they display a fluency of language that is simply absent from his modern-day word salad. I’m also fairly certain he has undiagnosed ADHD, and I’m saying this as a person who has ADHD themselves.

    None of this is to imply he shouldn’t be considered culpable for his actions. But there’s a reasonable case to be made for mental illness, I think.

  135. 135.

    frosty

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym:

    These kind of multilingual experiences are among the most treasured of my European memories.

    My best was answering a clerk in a shop in Spain: “Ja, uh … Oui! .. uh … Si!”

    All but the Spanish are gone gone gone.

  137. 137.

    schrodingers_cat

    @frosty: I have had random people come up to me (almost always women, asking about the time, or where a particular gate was etc) and start speaking in Spanish at airports, over here and in Europe too! Must learn Spanish.

  138. 138.

    frosty

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    No matter how old, it’s always a loss; no matter how expected, it’s always a shock.

    Not always. For me, after 10 years of Parkinson’s my dad’s end was a relief, not a shock. It ended 10 years of losing him piece by piece every time we visited, until there was nothing left. Then we had to go through the same thing again with my mother’s dementia.

  139. 139.

    Sab

    @Iowa Old Lady: I am so sorry for you.
    Amazing changes she saw in her life. 1917 to 2017. Cars, antibiotics, radio, television.

    Also the Depression and a World War. I’m guessing ( perhaps wrongly) that she didn’t notice the internet.

    And through all that , a family.

  143. 143.

    Major Major Major Major

    @frosty: In college I studied a number of dead Germanic languages, mostly Old Norse. I did a summer in Iceland doing an intensive language course at one point. Since I’d been doing Old Norse for a while, my pronunciation was pretty good (Icelandic is basically 12th-century Norwegian with new vocabulary) but not my conversation skills. So this is on the first few days there, I go into a public bathroom and ask the attendant in English if I can use the bathroom. He asks me something in Icelandic and I say in Icelandic “I don’t speak Icelandic”, pronouncing it well remember. He looks at me like I must be joking and says something, and I say, “no really, I don’t speak ANY Icelandic!” He just sort of threw up his hands and gave me the key.

  145. 145.

    Mnemosyne

    @dmsilev:

    Brachiator (who’s also local) was raving about how good it was. I just have to get myself over there.

    They do very good literary exhibitions there. The Charles Bukowski one gave me a completely different view of his work. Plus it turned out that he loved cats, as all right-thinking people do, especially writers. I bet Orson Scott Card hates cats.

  146. 146.

    grillo

    Tumbrels being such a common theme here, I wonder how difficult it would be to get one of our charming congress people to, in all seriousness, propose that the US adopt the ferme générale as a tax policy. It seems like a logical next step! It could probably garner some enthusiasm.

  151. 151.

    frosty

    @schrodingers_cat: I don’t have any helpful hints for learning Spanish. I picked it up here and there with a couple of classes after high school and on some travels. It didn’t really stick until I spent six weeks in Bolivia where no one speaks anything else (well, Aymara on the altiplano). I was working on a computer course in the evenings, too, and finally learned all the prepositions.

    I figured I’d graduated when in the last week or so I told a joke to a cab driver and he laughed.

  152. 152.

    Mnemosyne

    @Sab:

    I have an acquaintance who is 107 who loves her iPad and spends her days at the Motion Picture Home showing all of the other oldsters how to work the Internet. She’s a pistol.

  153. 153.

    lamh36

    Oooh…never watched the first two seasons, but I may just have to catch this season out!!!

    @DEADLINE
    ‘True Detective’: Mahershala Ali In Early Talks For Starring Role In Potential Season 3 On HBO
    https://t.co/2eJkIi8meW

  155. 155.

    Sab

    @Major Major Major Major: That’s hilarious. My baby sister was a linguistics major, and did her junior year abroad in Denmark . She learned some Danish, which we all thought was useless, but whatever. Then many years later, when she was employed by a Swiss company in the US, they sent her to the home office, and she discovered that Danish was closed to Swiss German than German German is.

  157. 157.

    eclare

    @lamh36: The first season was really well done, and it was set in Louisiana. Have heard mixed reviews about the second, never watched that.

  159. 159.

    Mnemosyne

    @Major Major Major Major:

    I’ve mentioned it before, but what completely changed my mind about Bukowski at that exhibition was that they used a copy of his poem “The History of One Tough Motherfucker”, about one of his favorite cats.

    @lamh36:

    I was very disappointed that series 2 of “True Detective” did some lame LA Noir plot instead of following the two Black detectives from the first series, as had been rumored. I wonder if that plan fell apart after the writer/co-director got the offer from Amazon to direct his movie with Idris Elba (I think it was Beasts of No Nation, but I may have the title slightly wrong).

  160. 160.

    Sab

    @Mnemosyne: My dad is 92 with dementia. My mother died at 84 with her mind intact and her body basically non-functioning. I love the stories of old people stIill being sharp.The future is scary.

  161. 161.

    Mnemosyne

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Sadly, he was right that a majority of white guys in this country think the way he does (present company excepted, of course) and that Trump would win because of it. Now we’re all screwed because white dudes insisted on living in a fantasyland where they knew better than everyone else.

  163. 163.

    germy

    “The Man Who Invented Christmas” directed by Bharat Nalluri is coming out in November.

    In October 1843, Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) was suffering from the failure of his last three books. Rejected by his publishers, he set out to write and self-publish a book he hoped would keep his family afloat and revive his career.

    Directed by Bharat Nalluri from Les Standiford’s book of the same name, The Man Who Invented Christmas tells the story of the six fever-pitched weeks in which Dickens created A Christmas Carol. The film takes audiences inside the magical process that brought to life Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and others, changing the holiday into the merry family event we know today.

  167. 167.

    germy

    Speaking of Dan Stevens, I read yesterday they’re planning a movie version of Downton Abbey. Since they killed off his character on the TV series, I suppose if he appears it’ll have to be in a flashback.

  169. 169.

    germy

    @lamh36:

    what the hell will the Top Gun sequel even be about?

    Well, unfortunately there’s no shortage of wars for them to base a script on.

  173. 173.

    germy

    GOP-led House committee approves Dem amendment to revoke Trump’s war authority

    The House must have been alarmed by his tweets.

  177. 177.

    germy

    This has to be the oddest headline of the day:

    Kris Kobach says he can’t comply with Kris Kobach’s voter data request

  180. 180.

    germy

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Also, the WSJ has some more on that story they published last night.

    What happens when Fox News calls the WSJ “fake news”? Does this simulation we’ve been under since November end?

  181. 181.

    Mnemosyne

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I don’t know — all I can see is comments about pie. But I have sent a Batsignal to Adam to let him know of our plight.

    What I’ve always loved about the pie filter is that you get a new random pie-related comment every time you refresh. Everyone should try it.

  183. 183.

    germy

    @Mnemosyne:

    Also, if Tom Cruise is in it, his character must die at the end of Act II. Screenwriting demands it.

    Chekhov would probably quarrel with the movie studio over their notes.

  184. 184.

    Bill Arnold

    For those into things Russian, a couple of pieces via one of my favorite feeds, Underground Tradecraft
    —old (2016/03) and maybe a bit fluffy but still interesting:
    Russian Hybrid Warfare and Other Dark Arts

    In trying to separate hybrid warfare from the classical bins of conventional or irregular war, I prefer to use Frank Hoffman’s definition, “a tailored mix of conventional weapons, irregular tactics, terrorism, and criminal behavior in the same time and battlespace to obtain [a group’s] political objectives.”

    — new (2017/06/25), more interesting that one might think, lots of anecdotes and stories
    How Moscow’s Spies Keep Duping America—Over and Over Again

    Former director of the CIA’s clandestine service Michael Sulick declared himself “skeptical” of a warming trend with Russia, recalling what Putin said when Trump was first elected. “Putin’s first congratulatory words were, ‘I hope we can improve relations and the United States can correct the mistakes of the past,” said Sulick in an interview.

    (bold mine)

  190. 190.

    Jeffro

    @germy: @germy:

    I know I sound like a Magic 8-Ball here, but “signs point to yes” (simulation is almost over)

    If it helps, peeps, picture just how relieved – HOW FUCKING RELIEVED! – we’re all going to be once the Mango Menace is in Manacles and things return to ‘normal’

  191. 191.

    germy

    Judd Legum‏Verified account @JuddLegum 10h10 hours ago

    Paper owned by Jared Kushner received info directly from Russian hackers and published it.

    One of Trump’s oldest political advisers directly contacted Russian hackers, knew about hacks in advance

  198. 198.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @germy:

    What happens when Fox News calls the WSJ “fake news”? Does this simulation we’ve been under since November end?

    I think that will occur when Fox News calls Fox News “fake news.” Not there yet.

  199. 199.

    efgoldman

    @TriassicSands:

    it might be better if the majority of states render the exercise meaningless by refusing to cooperate and leave it at that.

    27 is a majority.
    I doubt that any others will move or announce one way or another over a long holiday weekend.

  202. 202.

    efgoldman

    @Mnemosyne:

    Any admins around? Cleanup needed on aisle 165.

    I love PIE! Worked so well the other night that I just added that nazi asshole klown. All gone!

  203. 203.

    Adam L Silverman

    @germy: Here you go:

    https://thinkprogress.org/as-white-house-denials-intensify-growing-public-evidence-of-collusion-with-russia-c0dd40849cf5

    The Jared Kushner connection
    In September of 2016, a freelance writer named Michael Sainato wrote an article for the New York Observer (whose publisher was Jared Kushner from 2006 until 2017) which detailed that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) had coordinated with Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2015, citing an internal DNCCC memo leaked to the Observer by Guccifer 2.0.

    When reached by Mother Jones, Guccifer 2.0 stated he provided Sainato with exclusive documents but denied knowing Sainato was working on an article for the paper owned by Jared Kushner.

  204. 204.

    Ruckus

    @Iowa Old Lady:
    That is a long run. Hope it was a good one. RIP.
    My mom made 94, and just a couple of days before her 95th. She lived over twice as long as her dad and sister and about 25 more than her mom. She outlived everyone else in her family by about 15-20 yrs. She even out lived her daughter who made it to 66. And she lived about 45 yrs after getting cancer.
    There is no rhyme or reason why some last so long and some don’t get close. Her nephew made 6 months. People make it to 100 after drinking and smoking for 80 yrs. We take the ride we are given and hopefully make the best of it.

  208. 208.

    lamh36

    @JoyAnnReid 1h1 hour ago
    More
    Hearing WH staff are livid at the Melania statement on Trump’s Mika tweet (written by her staff, which basically does what Trump wants)…

    Was offline most of the day…first cause I was sleeping in late, 2nd cause I was cleaning the house, 3rd cause my cable provider had an internet/cable outage…so…

    What did Melania statement say?

  209. 209.

    Bill Arnold

    @germy:

    Does this simulation we’ve been under since November end?

    I’m thinking more like beginning of 2016, or maybe a few months earlier, recalling Trump’s rise. Deniable intervention by deity-level beings is another obvious possibility. Won’t guess (out loud) about motivation, though would bet not malicious. :-) (How would you classify the God/Satan wager about Job? Malicious or Not? :-)

  219. 219.

    Ruckus

    @frosty:
    Same with my dad’s Alzheimer’s. At first the little pieces fall away, then bigger and bigger chunks are gone until it’s just a body that won’t fully stop working. And then one day even that stops as well. It was the worst day and yet it wasn’t. You finally get to say goodby. That sounds ghoulish but you’ve been there, that pain and horror finally comes to a close.

  221. 221.

    jl

    @Adam L Silverman: Seems to me the Flynn, and then next in line, Stone connections are more sinister. There is evidence that they worked with, or discussed possible deals, with people to obtain the emails. The news about Kushner concerns publishing material that was probably already publicly available, or at least was already obtained by hackers and was being shopped around for a forum. I want to keep my eye on the most important issue, which was collaboration of Trump, or close associates, to obtain new information.

    I suspect the ‘is collaboration really a crime’ trial balloons the Trumpsters have been floating concern stuff probably done by Flynn and/or Stone, not this news story about Kushner.

  222. 222.

    jl

    @efgoldman:

    ” OK, you can put your inner 11-year-old back now. ”

    But then what would happen to what passes for serious adult discourse on this here miserable lefty blog?

  223. 223.

    Bill Arnold

    @Major Major Major Major:

    David Bowie was holding reality together.

    Yeah, that was touch and go for a few weeks for the universe, but others picked up the slack, they just are rather less picky about credulity stretching, and increasingly so.
    (Always the optimist. :-)

  224. 224.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @jl: I doubt it was Flynn. My guess is that he is keeping very quiet at Bobby Three Sticks’s very strong suggestion.

  227. 227.

    Omnes Omnibus

    Saab update: Insurance adjuster did a preliminary assessment and said he is hopeful about fixing the car. Mechanics won’t be able to get to it until at least Wednesday to get details on the damage.

  228. 228.

    jl

    @Omnes Omnibus: Flynn and Stone’s names are those that appear most often in reports of shady dealings for springing new information that had not been hacked (edit: or phished up) yet. Stone bragged about some of it on twitter. Or am I not recalling all the tangled threads correctly?

  232. 232.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @jl: I think Flynn is a cooperating witness in Mueller’s investigation and, as such, would be advised to keep his damned mouth shut.

  233. 233.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Fingers crossed and wood knocked. No guaranties yet. In the meantime, I have a Ford Escape that shuts it engine off at stoplights – that shit disturbs me so I keep disabling it.

  238. 238.

    Amir Khalid

    @schrodingers_cat:
    I saw the Ender’s Game movie and I was appalled. Ender’s elite military school is Sparta with children’s sci-fi trimmings, a Hogwarts for the homicidal. The adult military officers who run it are deceiving the children into fighting an actual war; this is presented as ethically difficult but ultimately the right thing to do (after all, the humans do win the war and wipe out the enemy alien species). Then I read the book, and yes, this was the author’s concept and not the filmmakers’. I don’t understand how such a vile book became so popular.

  240. 240.

    Origuy

    Speaking of books, Amir, I am reading The Marches by Rory Stewart, former MP for the area around the Scottish-English border. It’s about his travel around the Borderland with his father, Brian Stewart. The elder Stewart was a colonial official in Malaya until independence. If you’ve heard of him, I wonder how he’s regarded in Malaysia. He strikes me as one of those competent but arrogant types that Britain used to send around the world.
    I picked up the book to read about the Borderland; Rory Steward did a program for the BBC about it. Previously he did a book and a program about walking around Afghanistan.

  241. 241.

    Amir Khalid

    @Origuy:
    This Brian Stewart? The name doesn’t ring a bell, sorry. The Emergency was somewhat before my time, and his wasn’t among the prominent names taught to Malaysian schoolkids of my generation (unlike those of James Birch, Sir Henry Gurney and General Sir Gerald Templer). The orang putih brought in a whole corps of people like him — able civil servants, sure, but trained to regard as children the nations they were imposed on, same as they did in India and Africa and Ireland.

  242. 242.

    Gvg

    @Amir Khalid: actually, at the time, that was the plot twist and Ender was shocked and lost when he found out. That seemed at the time to be the authors intent, to make people think by showing them what could happen if they didn’t think. Ender in the sequels was drifting for years with politicians trying to use his fame (including his biological brother). Then he found a purpose in trying to revive and understand the race he had killed. I don’t remember how, but he did find a lost colony of them, and became their protector using his strategic skills. I did not see the movie but I suspect they muddled the book. It was always pretty clear that the adults using the kids were the bad guys.
    Scott revealed his bad side decades later and later series seemed quite different. I quit reading him long ago. My childhood science fiction reading often did that kind of thought experiment and I think it improved me but looking back, some of the authors could have used their own lessons.

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