Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The US Supreme Court is on the ballot in november.

Pelosi: “He either is stupid, or he thinks the rest of us are.” Why not both?

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

The arc of the moral universe doesn’t bend itself. it’s up to us.

This really is a full service blog.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

People are complicated. Love is not.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Democrats have delivered the Square Deal, the New Deal, the Fair Deal, and now… the Big Joe Biden Deal.

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

I desperately hope that, yet again, I am wrong.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

I’m just a talker, trying to find a channel!

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

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

Bark louder, little dog.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Wednesday Morning Open Thread: The Struggle Continues

Wednesday Morning Open Thread: The Struggle Continues

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…A spokesperson for the network told Politico it potentially will air parts of the event during Thursday’s newscasts, which will continue normally with “The Beat with Ari Melber” airing live at 6 p.m. ET and “Hardball with Chris Matthews” at 7 p.m…

Fox News, meanwhile, will air the entirety of Trump’s special July Fourth celebration during a live two-hour “Special Report” with Mike Emanuel as guest host that is set to broadcast at 6 p.m. CNN, meanwhile, did not immediately respond to a request for comment but is currently set to air a documentary on white nationalism at 7 p.m., according to Politico…

 
And, speaking of Mr. Jefferson…

Per local media WTOP:

… On Monday, the Charlottesville City Council voted to drop Jefferson’s birthday as a city holiday. In a separate vote, they created a new day of celebration called Liberation and Freedom Day.

Spencer said the new official holiday — which will be celebrated on March 3 — “Commemorates that day in 1865 when Gen. Philip Sheridan’s troops rolled through town and found a population that was majority African American — and although emancipation for most of them probably didn’t occur on that day, it was the opening salvo for a lot of Charlottesvillians’ freedom.”…

Reader Interactions

212Comments

  4. 4.

    Baud

    is currently set to air a documentary on white nationalism at 7 p.m., according to Politico…

    So they are airing Trump’s speech.

    @rikyrah:

    Good morning.

  5. 5.

    Baud

    There’s a lot of pretty negative, discouraging and sometimes quite frightening material about immunization on websites,” says Larson.

    In response, French health bodies have put out information on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. They have funded YouTube videos like ‘Nine bullshits on vaccines‘, which has had over 350,000 views in 18 months, and sometimes they engage directly in online chats.

  6. 6.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Fox News, meanwhile, will air the entirety of Trump’s special July Fourth celebration

    For it’s intended victims.

    ETA Charley and his galloping steeds gave me another sleepless night. Blech.

  7. 7.

    Betty Cracker

    I got a “severe weather alert” on my phone, so I took a look, thinking an unexpected storm was heading our way. Turns out it’s a heat advisory. In Florida. In July. FFS.

  9. 9.

    Baud

    Instead, the company found itself at the center of a political firestorm. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick reportedly complained about the shoes with the flags on them, and Nike canceled the sneakers’ production.

    Kaepernick, who is a face of the company, told Nike that he found the Betsy Ross flag — designed in 1777 with a circle of 13 stars, one for each American colony — offensive because of its connection to the era of slavery, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    …..
    But more significantly, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, said he had ordered state authorities to revoke a modest incentive package it offered Nike to open a factory near Phoenix.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/03/gop-governor-wants-cancel-nike-contract-city-its-headed-isnt-backing-down/

  10. 10.

    Betty Cracker

    Dem candidate Q2 fundraising report via CBS: Buttigieg out-raised Sanders $24.8M to $24M, and Sanders’ haul included $6M “transferred from previous accounts.” Feel the crash and bern!

  11. 11.

    NotMax

    Tried out a recipe for peanut butter bread in the super duper bread machine yesterday. Except I used cashew butter instead, and added a dollop of honey.

    Pretty good stuff. Nice as a change of pace.

  13. 13.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud:

    But more significantly, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, said he had ordered state authorities to revoke a modest incentive package it offered Nike to open a factory near Phoenix.

    That’s smart. Cutting off his voters noses to spite Kapernick’s face.

  15. 15.

    plato

    US top of the garbage pile in global waste crisis.

    The world produces over two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, enough to fill over 800,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.

    Per head of population the worst offenders are the US, as Americans produce three times the global average of waste, including plastic and food.

    When it comes to recycling, America again lags behind other countries, only re-using 35% of solid waste.

    Germany is the most efficient country, recycling 68% of material.

  16. 16.

    Betty Cracker

    @Baud: I’m enjoying all of it to an unseemly degree. Not so much because of Sanders himself but due to his obnoxious supporters.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    @Betty Cracker:

    I don’t distinguish them to any degree anymore. Sanders is cagey in his rhetoric, but he eggs his supporters on with hints and innuendos. And he delegates more directly offensive stuff to his staff, allowing him to maintain some deniability. But he’s ultimately responsible.

  20. 20.

    mrmoshpotato

    @NotMax: Was Charles’s family particularly attractive, or did they all have problems regulating their body temperatures?

  21. 21.

    germy

    Washington Post:

    Former first lady Imelda Marcos’s 90th birthday bash struck by apparent food poisoning

  22. 22.

    Chyron HR

    @Baud:

    Excuse me, Senator Sanders has made it very clear that he has nothing to do with the actions of Bernie Sanders.

  24. 24.

    Betty Cracker

    @Baud: For sure — his comms shop hires signaled he was going scorched earth, so fuck him. But he’s cagey enough not to give up the game; meanwhile, the lamentations from his Twitter army are a smorgasbord of schadenfreude.

    @Amir Khalid: You were correct, sir!

  25. 25.

    Baud

    Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg will unveil his campaign’s plan to boost national service on Wednesday in Iowa, rolling out a proposal that aims to increase service opportunities and tie that service to incentives.

    The plan, which intends to increase service opportunities to 250,000 a year and to “quadruple the number of service opportunities to 1 million high school graduates” by 2026, is rooted in the South Bend, Indiana, mayor’s own service in the US Naval Reserve

  26. 26.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Suspicious substance mailed to ‘Straight Pride’ organizers turns out to be … glitter

    “My neighbors are now probably pretty irritated with me,” he said while describing himself and his glittered associates as “victims”.

    Racioppi lamented the “violence” they received at the hands of the anonymous glitter-sender.

    “I wouldn’t wish this for anyone,” he said.

    Awwwwww… Pobrecito. The horror of being straight, white, and male. It must be tough bearing up under such a heavy cross.

  27. 27.

    p.a.

    Went to an anti-concentration camp rally yesterday. There’s a sentence I never thought I would have to write.
    This one mostly organized by JVP. Jews recognize the stench of trumpism better than anyone else.

  28. 28.

    satby

    @Baud: I’m a former Vista volunteer, so I’m biased on the issue, but I believe in national service and wish it was expanded.

  30. 30.

    Betty Cracker

    So, chefs and party planners of Balloon Juice, I need some ideas for a World Cup-themed brunch. I don’t know anything about fútbol and only watch the game when the US is in the World Cup. But via my sister, I was on a text group with a bunch of soccer-mad ladies discussing the matches live, and somehow, I ended up volunteering to host a game-viewing brunch on Sunday.

    Mimosas, obviously, and perhaps a build-your-own Bloody Mary station. Fruit and cheese plates. I am also thinking of making homemade Pop-Tarts because I did that once and they were easy and fabulous. I could put the USA logo on them with icing.

    I need some savory dishes too though, and stuff I usually make for brunches, like shrimp and grits or eggs benedict, are too labor intensive. I want to be able to watch the game! Any suggestions for a make-ahead thing?

  31. 31.

    satby

    @Betty Cracker: @Baud: I’m delighted every time he drops lower. He can’t go away soon enough, and his dropping polls show his scorched earth attempts won’t be as successful this time.

  32. 32.

    germy

    Kind of think Trump is hoping for rowdy protests at his 4th of July spectacle. What better way to spin his opposition as un-American.

    — Schooley (@Rschooley) July 3, 2019

  34. 34.

    germy

    1. Proud Boys tell police there were cement milkshakes
    2. Police repeat the claim without evidence
    3. Right-wing activists repeat police statement
    4. Right-wing politicians (Ted Cruz!) repeat the claim to millions

    Too late too debunk now. https://t.co/atHxSv2F9X

    — Carlos Maza (@gaywonk) July 2, 2019

  36. 36.

    germy

    Soon, far-right media figures were using an unsubstantiated rumor about cement milkshakes to claim that antifa had carried out acid attacks. Trolls jumped in at this point, posting "photos" of "victims" that actually showed a woman burned from a spa treatment & a stock photo. 8/ pic.twitter.com/NzNm16IdWA— Caroline Orr (@RVAwonk) July 3, 2019

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    @Betty Cracker

    if it is going to be weather alert hot, maybe a heaping bowl of chef salad, along with a choice of a variety of homemade dressings?

    If you’re after a hot dish, stuffed peppers?

  40. 40.

    Baud

    @germy:

    Remember that woman back in 2008 who carved a backwards “B” on her face and claimed she was attacked by Obama supporters?

    Same shit.

  41. 41.

    Betty Cracker

    @NotMax: I like the idea of a big salad with homemade dressings! Putting toppings out in separate bowls could accommodate the vegetarians and carnivores… Thanks!

    @OzarkHillbilly: Never heard of that, but it sounds intriguing!

  42. 42.

    Lapassionara

    @Betty Cracker: I like a variation on spinach Florentine, which is actually a make-ahead spinach and egg dish. Or, you could make spinach enchiladas, which have spinach soufflé in them and a cheese sauce, made spicy with a little salsa and fresh jalapeños. I cheat and buy the already made Stouffers spinach soufflé, but I make the cheese sauce from scratch. I use flour instead of corn tortillas.

  43. 43.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Betty Cracker: Cut slices of bacon in half, wrap around date, poke a toothpick thru to hold in place, bake till bacon is cooked. Sweet and salty, and everything’s better with bacon. My mother in law introduced me to them. Pure heaven to a bacon fiend like me.

  46. 46.

    germy

    @Baud:

    Remember that woman back in 2008 who carved a backwards “B” on her face and claimed she was attacked by Obama supporters?

    Same shit.

    Except that was a lone idiot whose fraud was immediately exposed.

    This latest thing is an organized (and successful) disinformation campaign that is being amplified by the police, and picked up by the media. I saw the “cement” story repeated in my own local newspaper.

  56. 56.

    germy

    Erma Bombeck:
    “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength… but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees and the flies die from happiness. pic.twitter.com/SL2izA7joh
    — joebarton1238 (@joebarton1238) July 2, 2019

    It was a simpler time.

  58. 58.

    p.a.

    @germy: Sort of: these people were still around then, they just knew not to slither out from under their rocks. Now they are encouraged and emboldened.

  59. 59.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @NotMax:

    however came across these oddities the other day

    That looks very interesting, might have to give them a whirl.

  60. 60.

    Betty Cracker

    @Quinerly: I had the same thought when I read that Trump would have the joint chiefs on stage next to him; they are human shields against booing, or so he hopes. I’m not sure which would be the better outcome, if people just stayed away and let the humongous drop in attendance do the talking, or if people show up and boo only when Trump opens his big fat yap to make it clear HE is the one being booed, not the military human shields. As always with Trump, I’m hoping for the most personally humiliating outcome.

  61. 61.

    Raven Onthill

    We have an explanation of the House vote for the CBP budget bill from AOC. It is, as I feared, that Pelosi cannot hold the discipline of her caucus against Trump and the Republicans.

    And then all of the sudden, maybe an hour later or whatever, they call the vote, and the vote is for the Senate bill with no amendments. It caught the entire caucus blindsided. And there were literally members that were like: “What’s in this bill? I don’t know what’s in this bill.” […] Because the Problem Solvers Caucus, they said, we have enough votes to kill the House amendments. And they basically held. It was like these 40 members led by Representative Gottheimer that worked with Republicans to say we’re going to pass the McConnell bill. And so they effectively handed over the Democratic Party.” – https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/the-whole-facilitys-culture-is-rotted-from-the-core-what-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-saw-inside-the-el-paso-camps/

    It appears that “bipartisanship” on the part of Democrats has become collaboration with fascists.

  62. 62.

    Baud

    @Baud:

    I wasn’t sure what was so offensive of the colonial flag, but Today show covered the issue. I didn’t realize that flag had been coopted by the white nationalists.

  64. 64.

    germy

    After Laura Ingraham announced her boycott of @Nike a lot of the Racist MAGA accounts are following her lead and bragging that they are switching to @Converse

    If you don’t understand how funny that is

    Please google “Who owns Converse?”

    I’ll wait.

    MAGA people are such idiots.

    — YS (@NYinLA2121) July 2, 2019

  65. 65.

    germy

    So let me get this straight..

    We are rounding up the homeless in DC so they won't be an "eyesore" during a superfluous military parade that we are spending millions of dollars on instead of helping our homeless Americans, many if whom are Veterans?

    Got it.

    — ????? ????? ??? (@TheRealHolli) July 2, 2019

  66. 66.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    @germy: Oh. That’s why Trump is suddenly conscious of the homeless.

    ETA: Between hastily arranged fireworks, tanks, traffic, security checks and weather, there is much room for things to go wrong in Trump’s event. I was happy to realize the normal celebration will go on as usual, though some of it had to move to make space for him.

  67. 67.

    MomSense

    This tweet is making the rounds in the fiber community about the difference in approaches between Facebook, twitter, and ravelry.

    badass knitters

    The comments are fun, too. @OzarkHillbilly: one man taught himself to knit watching YouTube videos but he didn’t have needles or yarn so he used screwdrivers and ribbon. If you’re up all night anyway…

    Sorry about the cramps. Wish we could do something to help.

  68. 68.

    Another Scott

    Good morning.

    In other news, RollCall (from June 27):

    The House passed an election security measure Thursday that would require voting systems to use backup paper ballots in federal contests, while also mandating improvements to the higher-tech side of the polls.

    The full chamber voted 225-184 to send the bill to the Senate where it faces stiff opposition from Republicans. House Democrats fast-tracked the bill to the floor after it cleared the Administration Committee by a party-line vote.

    One Republican — Florida Rep. Brian Mast — voted for the measure Thursday. No Democrats voted against it.

    With just over 200 days until the New Hampshire primary for the 2020 presidential election, Democrats and Republicans, who agree that enhanced elections security is necessary, are still far apart on how to legislate and implement changes to current systems.

    The measure, known as the Securing America’s Federal Elections Act, passed Thursday would authorize $600 million for states to bolster election security. It also would give states $175 million biannually to help sustain election infrastructure.

    “This bill closes dangerous gaps in our election systems and brings our security into the 21st century,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a floor speech in support of the bill.

    […]

    Good, good.

    I have no patience for people who claim they pay attention to politics yet argue that both parties are the same…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  70. 70.

    Chyron HR

    @Raven Onthill:

    It was Peloser’s fault that the blue dog Democrats voted with Republicans! If only we had (checks notes) gotten a blue dog Democrat to replace her as speaker!

  75. 75.

    Soprano2

    So, Gallagher got away with murder, basically. I feel like the whole thing was a setup – if the medic knew all along that he was the one who actually caused the death of the Iraqi captive, why didn’t he tell the prosecution that rather than lie about it until he got on the stand? It sure seems like a huge “coincidence” to me that the person who got complete immunity suddenly claims that he, not Gallagher, caused the death of this prisoner. I hope Adam does a post about this sometime in the next few days, because I’m open to being proven wrong in my opinion. If this were a “Law and Order” episode, it would be that the suspect got away with murder by conspiracy with a witness.

  78. 78.

    SFAW

    @NotMax:

    No bacon, however came across these oddities the other day. Simultaneously WTF and hmm, might work at that.

    Almost like Zwetschgenknoedel (which uses flour, not potato, I believe).

    When I was a kid, meine Grossmutter, meine Grosstante, and the following generations used to make them on holidays. Good stuff. I haven’t had them in more than 50 years. Now I’m getting wistful, damn you.

    ETA: They’re more of a cold-weather thing
    ETA: And they’re not fucking “oddities,” you commie

  80. 80.

    Immanentize

    @NotMax: @SFAW:
    My grandmother used to make those (she was Slovak) also with flour. My cousin loves them so much, when some particular type of fresh plums first get to the stores in the late fall, he makes two batches eating one himself. I’ll ask him for the family recipe.

  82. 82.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    this is hilarious

    The Daily Beast @ thedailybeast
    EXCLUSIVE: Meghan McCain, who sources say feels like an “exhausted, defeated… caged animal,” may exit “The View.”
    Sources close to McCain say, “It’s getting to the point where it’s not worth the emotional toll every week.”

    people are mean to her! It’s as if they don’t know, or don’t even care, that she is JOHN MCCAIN’S DAUGHTER!
    Can’t wait for the inevitable tearful interview with Fox: “Joy Behar was my Vietnam”

  83. 83.

    PVDMichael

    After we get confirmation that those census forms have been printed (because, no, I don’t trust them)….

    We should get the Trumpers all riled up with a rumor that the Obama admin snuck in a question on gun ownership

  84. 84.

    Betty Cracker

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: The “caged animal” bit is a nice touch in light of what’s being done in our names at the border and given that John McCain’s Daughter recently scolded a fellow panelist for referring to what’s happening to children at the border as “torture” because the use of that word is reserved for John McCain’s Daughter exclusively for referencing what happened to John McCain.

  85. 85.

    Immanentize

    @PVDMichael:
    I had the same idea — but wait until they are mailed out. Also, start a “boycott the census” for all patriots who support Trump. Because the mean courts didn’t give the President what he wanted, all Trump voters should boycott the census.

  86. 86.

    Butter emails!!!

    @PVDMichael: What you need is Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and AOC to do public service announcements encouraging all people to fill out their census forms because America needs to have this information to support important things like Obamacare, gun safety legislation and planned Parenthood services.

  87. 87.

    SFAW

    @Soprano2:

    why didn’t he tell the prosecution that rather than lie about it until he got on the stand?

    Probably waited until he got immunity. Plus fucking over “the man” is not just a hippie thing. Tribes — doctors, lawyers, special forces personnel, politicians, whoever — tend to cover for the transgressions of their members, especially when “outsiders” start looking more closely.

  88. 88.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @NotMax: H&S Bakery in southeastern Baltimore makes a Maple French Toast bread that’s delightful buttered & probably delicious in a fried-egg samwich. Whenever I drop by their outlet store & it shows up in the day-old shopping baskets, I pounce on it. (Hey, when you’re a bachelor, 4/5 of a bread loaf ends up day-old anyway, & 2 loaves for a buck – one for the fridge, one for the freezer – is not to be scorned.)

  89. 89.

    MomSense

    @Immanentize:

    Trump Patriots, boycott the census for freedumb!
    @Betty Cracker:

    The most charitable thing I can say about her is that she is obviously still in mourning and has no business being in public.

  91. 91.

    SFAW

    @Immanentize:

    when some particular type of fresh plums

    Gotta use the small prune plums. (Not sure what the correct name is, but I can pick them out at the store.)

  93. 93.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @MomSense: you’re very charitable, she was a raging asshole from the moment she used her father’s ’08 campaign to turn herself into a celebrity. In 2012 she loudly announced that she was available to work with any GOP campaign who wanted to “kick Obama’s ass!”. Nobody called, not even Fiorina or Santorum.

  95. 95.

    SFAW

    @Butter emails!!!:

    What you need is Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and AOC to do public service announcements encouraging all people to fill out their census forms because America needs to have this information to support important things like Obamacare, gun safety legislation and planned Parenthood services.

    “And, my fellow Americans, always remember: drinking antifreeze is dangerous! So DON’T DO IT!”

  97. 97.

    SFAW

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Shoot me.

    You ain’t gonna get off that easy, bucko!

    Rumor has it you can also teach yourself to crochet using those implements. You should try it.

  100. 100.

    Kylroy

    @satby: Going negative is a lot more effective in a two-candidate race than the four/six/too-damn-many-candidate primary we’ve got going on right now.

  102. 102.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: rump’s tweets are less looney than usual. Maybe he did have a stroke or something

    To borrow the Algonquin Round Table line when Coolidge’s death was announced: How can they tell?

    I think it was Dorothy Parker on Coolidge?

  103. 103.

    rikyrah

    Is it too much to ask the national press corps to find out what emergency brought the vice president back to the White House yesterday? I guess so.

    — Oliver Willis (@owillis) July 3, 2019

  105. 105.

    rikyrah

    Protesters in Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool when Nixon tried to turn July 4, 1970, ceremony into “Honor America Day” with Bob Hope, Kate Smith, Pat Boone and New Christy Minstrels. Nixon never did it again: pic.twitter.com/evsWvKBOYg

    — Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) July 2, 2019

  108. 108.

    rikyrah

    Julián Castro looks to broaden campaign with post-debate bump

    Julián Castro, 2020 Democratic candidate for president, talks with Rachel Maddow about his plans to use the post-debate boost in his public profile and fundraising to strengthen his campaign to avoid becoming a flash-in-the-pan candidate.

    Castro calls on career officials to resist Trump cruelty policy

    Julián Castro, 2020 Democratic candidate for president, talks with Rachel Maddow about how to fight back against Donald Trump’s deliberately cruel immigration policy without providing Trump a platform to grandstand to his base.

  110. 110.

    rikyrah

    If Joe Biden had dropped everything to rush back to the WH at any point of Obama’s presidency, every single network would be camped out on the lawn with minute by minute coverage of any movement whatsoever inside or outside the gates. BET, VHI, MTV, Univision – all them too.

    — Pragmatic Obots (@PragmaticObot) July 3, 2019

  114. 114.

    glory b

    @Baud: I know, that happened in here in Pittsburg a few miles from me!

    Dummy, she didn’t think of just using an “O”?

  115. 115.

    chopper

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    she’s saying she feels like she’s…caged? seriously? at this point in time, with what’s going on at the border, she’s comparing getting paid a bunch of money to defend republican policies on TV to being caged?

  116. 116.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @rikyrah:
    Obama’s presidency was competent, directed, and planned. In Trump’s presidency, it could literally mean Trump ran out of toilet paper, yelled that it was an emergency, some other idiot assumed it was a medical emergency, told Pence to turn around and come back, and Pence was too stupid to ask why.

  118. 118.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @rikyrah:

    Rachel Maddow describes Donald Trump’s losing court record in trying to fight Congress on access to his financial records

    I’m sorry, I was assured that Democrats have betrayed their voters by losing interest in obtaining Trump’s tax returns.

  121. 121.

    Peale

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: the homeless in blue voting cities is the latest way to call out liberals as hypocritical for being concerned about the treatment of asylum seekers. It’s a twofer since homelessness is another sign that the country is full and we don’t need to End the concentration camps.

  123. 123.

    laura

    @Betty Cracker: chicken pot pie. Rotisserie chicken, roux, veg ( via bag of frozen or fresh), pie dough. Make ahead, freeze if you’ve got time, then bake, serve, etc.,

  124. 124.

    zhena gogolia

    @rikyrah:

    Protesters in Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool when Nixon tried to turn July 4, 1970, ceremony into “Honor America Day” with Bob Hope, Kate Smith, Pat Boone and New Christy Minstrels.

    Maybe they were just music lovers.

  126. 126.

    rikyrah

    This is a LITERACY TEST???

    A federal lawsuit charges that Georgia treats Puerto Rico residents different from other U.S. citizens when it comes to drivers licenses. They have to know what meat fills a plantain fritter. And be able to name the frog native only to Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/thWz6TzBZ4

    — Jim Galloway (@politicalinsidr) July 2, 2019

  127. 127.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @plato: I’ve just come back from Europe. It was very sobering. They are pretty damned aware of global warming (yes, we were there in cities without air conditioning in the middle of the unprecedented heat wave) and very damned aware of the plastic pollution crisis. The info is just EVERYWHERE. It was refreshing but sobering to see just how bad the situation is when you face reality instead of screaming “fake news” at it. But facing reality is always better.

    Here is a quote from a newspaper I picked up in Paris. One of those papers that homeless people sell in the train station to make a few bucks / Euro.

    To attain the government promise of 100% recycled plastic by 2025, the Secretary of State for Ecological Transition, Brune Poirson, has announced putting in place starting in 2019, a system of bonuses and penalties on plastic products.

    They have a 100% recycling goal!
    They have a cabinet position for ecological concerns!

    BTW the rest of that article was about just how bad the plastic problem is and how bad its effects on human health are.

    Also I became a crime cliche, having my pocket picked on the Paris Metro on literally the last few minutes in Paris. Curious about other BJers approaches to places with pickpocket problems.

  128. 128.

    rikyrah

    It’s a Question No One Says They Want to Ask. But the Women Running for President Keep Hearing It.
    By Lisa Lerer
    July 3, 2019

    GREENVILLE, S.C. — Some people whisper it, some apologize for it, and some are very careful to mention their neighbors — their neighbors would be the ones to ask.

    “Do you really think a woman could be elected president?”

    In ways subtle and overt, Democrats keep hearing that same question, even days after debates where Senator Kamala Harris commanded the stage and Senator Elizabeth Warren dominated the policy discussion.

    It’s the anxiety of a party still carrying the scars of its 2016 defeat.

    “My colleagues, some have said that to me, and I just have to push back and say, ‘Wait just a minute,’” said Representative Barbara Lee, a California congresswoman, who worked as a young organizer for former Representative Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 presidential bid. “I’m just quite frankly shocked to still hear them in 2019.”

    ……………………….

    Privately, Democratic strategists, candidates and officials say they’ve been alarmed by how deeply doubts about female electability have taken hold. In polling, interviews and focus groups, a portion of the party’s voters suggest they’re eager to see a woman on the ticket but fear that putting her in the top slot could cost them the White House — again. The question comes up frequently in early primary states, including at events organized for female voters.

    Much of the concern centers not on what Democratic voters themselves say they want but a prediction of what they believe others will support.

    ………………….

    In the early months of the contest to choose a candidate to unseat Mr. Trump, Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s argument that he could woo white men in the Midwest seemed to hold considerable appeal.

    “There are people who are not necessarily strong Biden people, but they think he’s the strongest candidate,” said Sara Riley, a 59-year-old lawyer from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who is a longtime supporter of Mr. Biden. “They love Senator Harris or Senator Warren, but they are concerned about whether they can win.”

    …………………………………

    “Honestly, I love Elizabeth Warren, I just worry that we as a society are not ready for that,” said Ann Mason, 44, from Cedar Rapids, after hearing Ms. Warren and other candidates speak at a state party event last month. “This election is far too important. We just have to get Donald Trump out. From there on, I think the door is open to whoever.”

    Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii had a message for voters like Ms. Mason: “We should not do it to ourselves that a woman cannot be a president.”

    …………………

    To some voters, her ability to break barriers in the past may not be enough to dispel concerns about her future.
    “I don’t think she can win. And I’m sorry to have to say that. She is a woman and she is black,” said Shantell Smith, 32, from Greenville, S.C., who is supporting Ms. Harris. “As a black woman myself, I think that as much as we would like to believe there’s been this huge shift in this country, we have seen the reality that people will fight back against change.”

    In Nashville this past weekend, at a convention of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which Ms. Harris joined as a student at Howard, some of the attendees spoke of their pride in her run so far, praising her debate performance, but also of their concerns about electability.

    “It’s just — is she going to be able to do it?” said Kayla Wilson, who works at a nonprofit in Dallas. “I’ve been in America long enough to know that we’ve come a long way, but maybe not that far.”

  129. 129.

    satby

    I’m driving to Lexington, KY tomorrow for a quick visit with the younger son unit before he heads off to the Rockies to do some wilderness hiking. Dreading the 11 hour round trip (in 36 hours) and the heat. But it’s the only window of time we have before he leaves ?

  130. 130.

    germy

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    To borrow the Algonquin Round Table line when Coolidge’s death was announced: How can they tell?

    I think it was Dorothy Parker on Coolidge?

    Yes. That was the question Dorothy Parker asked when Coolidge died. I read in one of her biographies that the newspapers wouldn’t print Robert Benchley’s reply: “He had an erection.”

  132. 132.

    rikyrah

    Sigh????
    He is basically ‘a good boy’.
    Phuck Outta Here ? ?

    A family court judge was admonished by an appeals court for ruling that a teen boy who raped a girl & then shared a video of the assault w/ friends deserved leniency because he came from a “good family,” was an Eagle Scout & attended “an excellent school. https://t.co/hurtsoWbBy

    — Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) July 3, 2019

  134. 134.

    mrmoshpotato

    @MomSense:

    The most charitable thing I can say about her is that she is obviously still in mourning and has no business being in public.

    But how else would we know she’s John McCain’s daughter?

    No business being in public? Noted a long time ago.

  136. 136.

    SFAW

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    This admin holds it’s secrets like a steel sieve.

    I keep telling people I have a mind like a steel sieve. They seem confused when I do.

  139. 139.

    SFAW

    @Gelfling 545:

    That’s like the alerts I get in winter telling me it might snow- in Buffalo. 2 to 4 inches!

    Well, they just want Buffalonians to know it’s a “beach day.”

  142. 142.

    glory b

    @SFAW: I understand that this is exactly what happened, he got immunity and surprised the prosecution on the stand.

    I saw this morning that he will be prosecuted for perjury for lying to the investigators, for what it’s worth.

  149. 149.

    Another Scott

    @Immanentize: It’ll be interesting to see how the actual tabulation goes this time. census.gov (from March):

    In 2020, we will implement new technology to make it easier than ever to respond to the census. For the first time, you will be able to respond online, by phone, as well as by mail. We will use data that the public has already provided to reduce folllowup visits. And, we are building an accurate address list and automating our field operations — all while keeping your information confidential and safe.

    You better!!1

    Fingers crossed.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  151. 151.

    Jeffro

    @germy: Oh hey, that’s great stuff! Yes, please switch to Converse, MAGAts, that’ll show that evil Nike Corporation. ;)

  152. 152.

    laura

    @rikyrah: that young rapist from a good family could end up on the Supreme Court.
    That young girl who was raped is a girl.

  154. 154.

    Immanentize

    @Another Scott: IIRC, after the last couple of census counts, certain states or sub-sets like cities and some counties? sued for a “correction.” I think that will be likely in many blue places, so why not in red as well? Let people figure out why an accurate count is critical.

    Also, the whole question of eliminating people from an areas count (which the citizenship Q is aimed at) might also have a profound effect on prison cities and counties. Regardless of where a prisoner actually lives, for the census, they live in prison. Think upstate NY. Watch to see if prison populations expand at census count time.

  155. 155.

    Betty Cracker

    @rikyrah: That’s a frighteningly plausible theory. If it’s true, I don’t know what’s scarier: that Jarvanka and the other thieves and morons are secretly running the country or that Trump’s impairment might become so obvious that Pence will officially be promoted to the top job and appoint a fellow dead-eyed Bible-humper VP. There just aren’t any good options.

  158. 158.

    trollhattan

    @Betty Cracker:
    Taters of some kind. I like pan-fried with lots of onions. Chunked, tossed in oil and baked also works.

    My first thought after yesterday’s win: We need to host a finals party!
    My second thought after looking at schedule: Goddamn, it’s at eight in the morning.
    Too bad for thought #1.

  159. 159.

    Another Scott

    @Immanentize: As usual, Donnie’s right hand doesn’t know that the left hand is doing. Twitter:

    Donald J. Trump Verified account @realDonaldTrump

    The News Reports about the Department of Commerce dropping its quest to put the Citizenship Question on the Census is incorrect or, to state it differently, FAKE! We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question.

    8:06 AM – 3 Jul 2019

    “Don’t confuse me with Reality!!1 I am your God-Emperor!!11”

    Grrr…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  160. 160.

    plato

    Of course, they did that.

    The US military has told Washington DC residents not to panic if they see tanks on the streets for President Donald Trump’s Independence Day parade.

    At least two Bradley armoured carriers and two M1A1 Abrams Tanks will be moved to the heart of the US capital for the president’s “Salute to America”.

    The National Park Service will reportedly divert nearly $2.5m (£2m) to cover the cost of the event.

    Mr Trump tweeted his 4 July celebration will be “the show of a lifetime.”

    Army Col Sunset Belinsky told a local CBS News affiliate: “Residents of the Capitol City will see the vehicles move through their neighbourhoods, but should not panic.”

    How quickly the whole facade of democracy has crumpled and collapsed.

  163. 163.

    Gelfling 545

    @satby: I volunteered for 2 years after I retired. It was a wonderful experience. It’s not only for college kids.

  164. 164.

    Betty Cracker

    Trump a while ago on Twitter:

    Congratulations to Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, his wonderful wife Andrea, and his entire family. You have been through much together. Glad I could help!

    I’m not a lawyer, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a good idea for a “president” to announce he tampered with a court martial proceeding. WTF?

  166. 166.

    Emma

    @rikyrah: And it’s, to boot, stupid. The frog is the coqui, which every Puerto Rican knows. But the fritters…which plaintain fritter? The pionono (which is only a fritter by courtesy)? Or the mofongo, that has as many variation as there are cooks and it’s sometimes fried and others not? Platano macho? Platano maduro? Shrimp? Beef?

    It’s not only a literacy test; it’s a cultural trap.

  167. 167.

    Immanentize

    @Betty Cracker: I know at the very least, he got involved in getting Gallagher out of the brig pending trial.
    But it sure does look like OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE!

  168. 168.

    H.E.Wolf

    Happy Day Before Independence Day to all!

    I began my day with phone calls to:

    the White House
    the Parks Dept. office responsible for Wash DC matters (main office voice mail was “full”)
    my Senators
    my US Rep
    the US Rep in the district next to ours, who is on the Defense and Interior committees – got a very sympathetic staffer, who packed volumes of nuance into a single “UH HUH“.

    On each call, I said my piece about the shameful, wasteful, dictator-like decision to allow military tanks in the streets on the very day we celebrate freedom from tyranny, and mentioned my father’s military service… which reminds me to call Veterans’ Affairs while I’m on a roll here.

    Interestingly, I found some common ground with the White House phone-line volunteer (this is a first). We agreed on the greatness of our democracy: that we have the freedom to speak out and the honor to bear witness to those who speak.

    Now I’m off to mail a handful of Postcards To Voters (thank you to the Jackals who mentioned this group last year!).

    I am determined to foment a voter-turnout rebellion. Abigail Adams would be proud. :-)

  173. 173.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Gelfling 545: I watched the Superb Owl one year at the Arena club in Kyiv. Stumbled out at around dawn; made it hard to get shit done that Monday.

  174. 174.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @rikyrah:

    A federal lawsuit charges that Georgia treats Puerto Rico residents different from other U.S. citizens when it comes to drivers licenses. They have to know what meat fills a plantain fritter. And be able to name the frog native only to Puerto Rico.

    Well, looks like I’m not gonna be able to drive should I ever move to Puerto Rico…

    JFC how does this shit happen right under our noses?

  175. 175.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    I suppose in these days for embolden racism doping Jefferson’s birthday is appropriate but I would think the conflict between
    Jefferson’s noble ideas and his horrible practices needs to be stressed.

  176. 176.

    Betty Cracker

    @Emma: I looked up the source because that “quiz” seemed too stupid to be true, but apparently it is. Good God. Now I’m trying to come up with a quiz for my fellow white Southern swamp rats. Maybe: “Name three brands of mayonnaise and briefly summarize the differences between them in terms of viscosity and acidity…”

  180. 180.

    rikyrah

    @Betty Cracker:

    I’m not a lawyer, but I’m pretty sure it’s not a good idea for a “president” to announce he tampered with a court martial proceeding. WTF?

    HOW.DID.HE.HELP????

  182. 182.

    Spanky

    @MomSense:

    The most charitable thing I can say about her (Meghan M) is that she is obviously still in mourning and has no business being in public.

    I’d bet on Stockholm Syndrome before mourning.

  183. 183.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: sorry about the pickpocketing. The only thing I know is that professional pickpockets hang around “watch your wallet” signs scanning the crowd because when tourists see those signs they instinctively put their hand on their wallet to make sure it’s still there – and now the watching pickpocket knows exactly where the tourist’s wallet is. So never check anything when you see a sign that says watch your valuables.

  184. 184.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Another Scott: The way this works is that they’ll now be forced to try and re-insert the question in.

    That’s going to go over well with the judge.

  186. 186.

    Kelly

    @glory b: What? He can lie to get immunity for murder and all they can prosecute him for is perjury? The deal isn’t revoked?

  187. 187.

    James E Powell

    @SFAW:

    I heard her father was a POW.

    My understanding is that she, like her father, prefers not to bring this up.

  188. 188.

    rikyrah

    Let this sink in:

    There are tanks in the nation’s capital and concentration camps at its border.

    The drift to toward the unimaginable is unmistakable.

    — Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) July 3, 2019

  189. 189.

    J R in WV

    @Betty Cracker:

    Regarding your lunch, I do a white potato salad with red onions, olives, a vinegar and olive oil dressing that seems popular — it won’t turn bad in a warm environment like one with mayo and mustard will, egg free.

    Also a cold salad of tuna, small potatoes quartered or smaller, onions and blanched green beans, salad nicoise — and curried deviled eggs with a caper or olive slice on top, or even a slice of jalapeno.

    Another thing we like is seafood ceveche, which is marinated shrimp, scallops, and sliced white fish in lime juice and olive oil with sliced hot peppers and onions, usually red ones. It’s South American, Peruvian, Mexican, each nation has a slightly different recipe. Way to get in the South American culture without saying a word. Just call it seafood salad, no funny words from other places… ;-)

  191. 191.

    mrmoshpotato

    @SFAW:

    I’m hurt by what you’re implying.

    HURT, I tells ya!

    Good. Complain to glory b to your heart’s content. Hehehe misclick! ?

  192. 192.

    bemused

    My adult kids and I were just discussing Ivanka’s galling hubris and entitlement personality flaws and then I read Frank Bruni’s “Oh To be Ivanka”. He nailed it. Like father, like daughter.

  193. 193.

    sukabi

    Late to the thread, but good for Charlottesville and their new, but long over due, holiday.

    Re conditions in the BP concentration camps, those are the same or worse conditions documented a year ago, Sen. Warren’s fb post on it a year ago has been making the rounds again.

  194. 194.

    Aleta

    WaPo Greg Sargent

    …
    The authoritarian nationalist leader typically rewrites the story of the nation in his own image, in a very particular way. Our own homegrown authoritarian nationalist has proved particularly devoted to this fusion of national mythmaking and self-hagiography, often delivered in his own unique language of crass, gaudy spectacle.

    The historians tell us that this is what authoritarian nationalists do. As Harvard’s Jill Lepore puts it, they replace history with tried-and-true fictions — false tales of national decline at the hands of invented threats, melded to fictitious stories of renewed national greatness, engineered by the leader himself, who is both author of the fiction and its mythic hero.
    …
    (A) White House official tells The Post that the plans include a plane from Air Force One’s fleet soaring overhead at precisely the moment that Trump takes the stage. Tanks will take part in the display.
    …
    (A)t the core of Trump’s celebration there actually will be a vision of America — or, at least, of American greatness, and more to the point, of his own imagined restoration of that greatness. For you cannot disentangle Trump’s vision of both those things from his paeans to the strength of our military.

    Trump campaigned on the false story of an America in steep decline. He embellished this story with endless lies and demagoguery about immigrants, and about how international engagement supposedly resulted in foreign leaders “laughing at” and “humiliating” us. Central to this tale was the constant refrain that our military has been “depleted,” the ultimate symbol of that national decline.

    Trump’s claim to having rebuilt the military is also foundational to his tale of revived American greatness — and his own authorship of it. He pulled out of the Iran deal — international diplomacy had produced a “weak” solution — and will now force Iranian capitulation by threatening unilateral “obliteration.”

    There is no doubt that Trump envisions this Fourth of July speech — delivered amid a show of military might — as a display of his own imagined role in “restoring” U.S. greatness.

  196. 196.

    Brachiator

    @Another Scott:

    Donald J. Trump Verified account @realDonaldTrump

    The News Reports about the Department of Commerce dropping its quest to put the Citizenship Question on the Census is incorrect or, to state it differently, FAKE! We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question.

    I got to sleep in late this morning and this was one of the first bits of news I saw.

    Crap.

    Trump is a petulant little shit. We can only hope that he keeps getting slapped down over this issue. Maybe his little parade will distract him for a while.

  197. 197.

    trollhattan

    Sportsball note: the other WWC semifinal featuring the Lady Allen Wrenches and the Orange Weed+Chocolate side meet to see who is ritually dismantled this Sunday.

    Same time, same place–noon Best Coast time in Lyon.

    The Orange actually look really strong, especially in half the second. Nobody has yet rattled them the entire tournament.

  198. 198.

    Doug R

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: My father taught me to put your wallet in one deep front pocket and your keys in the other. Your back pockets get your change.
    Since you have way more nerve endings in your crotch than your ass…

  201. 201.

    TenguPhule

    White House blasts federal judge in asylum case as ‘at war with the rule of law’

    Projection, Irony, Peak Wingnut.

  204. 204.

    James E Powell

    @Aleta:

    Trump campaigned on the false story of an America in steep decline. He embellished this story with endless lies and demagoguery about immigrants, and about how international engagement supposedly resulted in foreign leaders “laughing at” and “humiliating” us. Central to this tale was the constant refrain that our military has been “depleted,” the ultimate symbol of that national decline.

    Reagan made the same arguments, though it was fictional welfare queens instead of fictional immigrant invasions. Bush Jr & his father figure Dick Cheney also argued that our military was depleted and America was threatened because Democrats failed to give belligerent, jingoistic speeches. In fact, Republicans have been calling Democrats disloyal & treasonous ever since Democratic presidents won World War II. It’s amazing that it seems to work every time.

    I do not have a solution.

  205. 205.

    sgrAstar

    @Betty Cracker: Cooking Light has an easy, yummy recipe for an enchilada casserole. Best with avocado garnish…but what isn’t! Very brunch-worthy.

    Bon appétit!

  206. 206.

    J R in WV

    @rikyrah:

    Regarding Trump’s continuing slide into dementia, I keep waiting for the live TV moment when he completely loses it, shouting gibberish that become unintelligible right in front of a huge crowd.

    Could the Fourth of July Fascist Festivus be the moment we’ve all been waiting for? 90+ degrees of really humid, looming thunderstorms, jets thundering overhead, so many distractions, so hard to deal with that kind of heat and excitement even for a healthy aware person…

    What would Ivanka do then?

    To appoint a new Vice President they need approval from the House and the Senate… they’ll need to pick someone at least coherent as opposed to Ivanka…

  207. 207.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: I offer the following out of >40 trips to Europe over the past ~40 years:

    I had my front pocket relieved of my passport wallet on a bus in Palermo in 1985 – credit cards, cash, in fact everything except a staash of travelers’ cheques in my luggage at the pensione. Makes for an interesting story now; awful experience then.

    Some years later onboard the Paris Metro I watched an abortive pickpocketiing: A guy stood in front of the door ready to get off at the next stop. From 10′ away with a clear line of sight, I saw a corner of what looked.like a leather case – or wallet – poking out from his left trouser pocket. Another guy moved to stand right behind him, & reached around to pinch that corner between thumb & forefinger. He slid the item gently out of the pocket & sneaked a look. When he saw it was an eyeglass case he let it go. Had it in fact been something valuable, e.g., passport sleeve or wallet, he would have stood there squeezing that corner as the victim literally walked right out from under it as he exited. By the time he realized it was gone, the doors would have closed behind him as the train pulled away.

    When I saw that I remembered, years before, a tug on my pocket as I boarded that Sicilian bus, & realized that most likely was exactly what had happened to me.

    ——–

    What to do about pickpockets? First, just in case: Have copies of your travel documents (passport, tickets, credit cards) & keep one in your luggage, one at home with a trusted friend or family member. Or scan these documents into a PDF file & e-mail them to yourself or give a copy to a friend or family member who can send them to you quickly. If you are victimized, having access to such copies will allow you to continue your trip &/or get back home quickly. When the Vice-Consul in Palermo handed me my replacement passport (7 hours after the theft) I expressed my embarrassment at having been victimized, he told me not to agonize over it; those guys were pros. “We had a guy last week whose passport was stolen right out of his money belt. That guy should be embarrassed.”

    Personal security: Keep most of your valuables (passport, currency, credit cards, tickets) under your clothing – in a money belt round your waist under trousers or skirt, in a zipper pouch with a loop with your belt threaded through it but again worn inside the waistbaand, or in a pouch worn round your neck under your shirt or blouse. Keep out only what you’re morally certain you’ll need that day – one card, not too much cash, ticket for public transport or the train, smart phone if you’re using it – and keep it in front of you, in a deep front pocket or cargo pocket, or in a fanny pack (“bum bag”) or rucksack worn in front, or in a handbag with strap worn crossways & squeezed between your upper arm & body.

    Pay attention: Be aware of where your valuables are but don’t touch them or you’ll give the location away. Avoid crowds wherever possible, particularly tight crushes; make space within them if youcan. Be aware when someone pushes into you from the side or back. Be suspicious of any distraction – if a woman runs up with a baby at her breast & her hand out (this happened to me in Toulouse in 1994), if you are jostled or something is spilled on you & the jostler or a bystander immediately jumps in to “help” you. Make sure everything is where it needs to be before exiting a bank or enclosed ATM, & don’t step immediately toward the street. (A classic ploy is a motorscooter speeding past as the rider on the back grabs the strap of your bag, which is why you wear it crossways pressed against your side – this happened to a young British woman in Palermo leaving a bank the morning after my disastrous experience.)

    One other thing you could try is some distraction of your own – I generally carry a couple of tissue packs or a phrase book in a back trouser pocket to form a bulge the size of a dimwit Yank’s wallet. (Again, Toulouse 1994: beggar woman with baby, sudden tug on my back left pocket – I grabbed the wrist of what turned out to be an 8-9 year-old kid trying to steal my phrasebook, half threw him at her & threatened in French to call the cops; they beat feet toot-sweet.)

    The locals are not your enemies: They don’t like pickpocketing any more than you, maybe less – it makes their city & country look bad & costs them tourist business. In 1996 in Istanbul I wondered to my pansiyon manager why I felt so unthreatened walking around the Grand Bazaar. He explained that thieves had no fear of the authorities – even when caught, most tourists couldn’t stick around to appear in court – so when the Istanbulers spotted one plying his trade, word went out to the local young men, who’d converge on the guy, drag him into a side ally & beat the living shit out of him, while the police of course saw nothing. “Country bumpkin justice,” the manager called it, but, he said, it works.

    Another instance: When my brother’s family visited Roma in 2006, my niece & nephew saw a bunch of pre-pube girls on the Metropolitana get on, surround an obviously-tourist couple, & shove pieces of cardboard at them while rifling their pockets underneath.for stuff to steal out. The Romans in the car seized the girls & told the husband to check for his wallet, which was gone. They then frisked the girls, took back (& gve back) everything they’d stolen, & at the next stop literally hurled the little crooks through the door onto the platform.

    Good luck & safe travels all!

  210. 210.

    SWMBO

    @OzarkHillbilly: I used to get Charley horses that would wake me up screaming. The doctor suggested that I take a potassium pill, a magnesium pill and a bottle of water before bed. Haven’t had one in ages.. Good luck.

  211. 211.

    Another Scott

    @Uncle Cosmo: Good tips, thanks for all the details.

    My father told a story about being in a crush on a bus in Rome and someone stealing his day’s cash in a wallet in his front pocket. As you say, they are pros and keeping stuff under your clothing (not in pockets) is about the best one can do.

    Of course, then there’s the story a colleague told of being in Ecuador (on the way to the Galapagos Islands) years ago when armed bandits stopped their bus and demanded everyone’s valuables and clothes… Yikes! (He was able to salvage his vacation, but still!)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  212. 212.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Another Scott: You’re welcome.

    Not much you can do when the crooks pull out deadly weaponry but fork over the goods. Good reason not to keep much cash on you – cards can always be cancelled & passports (eventually) replaced.

    One reason I recommend wearing rucksacks/fanny packs in front is stories I’ve heard about thieves with knives who’ll slash them open & scoop up whatever falls out or is reachable. I bought a rucksack with embedded chicken wire for about $80 to guard against that – nice bag but it’s vanished; I think it must’ve been stolen off my front porch when I absentmindedly left it there one night (sigh).

    For most travelers the most important thing is to stay aware of your surroundings & note where a threat might be coming from. Distraction is the most effective weapon in street thieves’ arsenal.

    (ETA: Note that in the UK & related nations, what we call a “fanny pack” is known as a “bum bag” – “bum” being their term for one’s rear end & “fanny” a term for the female genitalia. I accidentally used “fanny pack” at baggage screening in one of their airports (Dublin IIRC) & the middle-aged screener behind the belt visibly flinched.)

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