p

Update: Congrats, Broncos. They beat the Patriots, 20 to 18. It's on to the Superbowl. I didn't even have to turn on my TV to know the game was over and they won -- I figured it out from the firecracker type sounds and yelling in the neighborhood that I could hear through my double-pane windows.

Go Broncos. It's almost kickoff time for the AFC Championship game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.

Here's a thread to discuss today's football games and the superbowl.

The cold open from last night's Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey, as usual, nails Sarah Palin. She mostly uses Palin's own words.

[More...]

The three hour Eagles "rockumentary" on Showtime just began airing. It's the History of the Eagles, as told by the Eagles. It starts with the early years of Henley in Texas and Frey in Detroit, with lots of guest appearances. There are also some great performances.

Random question: Does anyone remember the version of Hotel California in concert with Henley and many men wearing turban style hats playing drums (see update below, it was trombones not drums) -- to me it had a decidedly African beat. I think I saw the live performance many many years ago, and had it on my computer, but can't find it now. I can't even remember whether it was the whole band or a Henley solo concert. [Added: it was Henley's solo Inside Job Tour at Red Rocks in July,2000.)

This is an open thread, all topics welcome. [Update below):

Here's tomorrow's open thread, a few hours early. Thank you, Showtime. I just re-watched the last hour of the 2013 History of the Eagles documentary. It's over three hours long, and will re-air in full on Saturday, 4pm Mountain Time.

It's gradually dawning on me I will never again see this band perform. Such a loss. From Denver to Aspen to Red Rocks and Boulder's Folsom Field, I got to see them so many times. I've watched hundreds of videos of shows I didn't see in person -- and I've saved dozens on my various computers. It's never enough.

Personally, I could care less about politics right now -- but this is an open thread, all topics welcome. [More...]

Rudy Giuliani joined a new law firm, along with former AUSA Mark Mukasey (son of former AG Michael Mukasey.) They are going to head up a new cyber-security section of the firm. They are leaving a law firm in Texas to do so.

Miami-founded global law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP announced Tuesday that Giuliani and Mukasey were joining the firm as global chair of the firm’s Cybersecurity and Crisis Management Practice and senior advisor to the firm’s executive chairman, and global co-chair of the firm’s White Collar Defense Practice, respectively.

Their remarks in this interview are flat-out laughable, from those about El Chapo to South Florida to Rudy's travel schedule. Some quotes: [More...]

Other than work, the only thing I've thought about today is Glenn Frey's untimely passing. Keith Urban posted this really heartfelt tribute on his Facebook page. Love the piano. It's already been viewed 12 million times. And Bruce Springsteen played a live tribute to him in Chicago. The audience sings along, and check out all the lights in the audience starting around the 3'15" mark.

The comment I see repeated the most, at so many sites, "The Eagles wrote the soundtrack to my life." They certainly wrote mine in the 70's.

RIP, Glenn Frey. I think this is the only time in the 13 year history of TalkLeft I've written two RIP posts for one person. I won't be surprised if I write a third tomorrow, I'm just so, so shocked by his death and feel terrible he suffered so much pain for so many years.[More...]

The new issue of Dabiq Magazine (#13) released today contains tributes to several fallen ISIS members, including "Jihadi John." I'm not linking to Dabiq so here's a link to a news article about it. But I am interested in some details as to his background the eulogy clears up so I will quote it.

First, the article refers to him as "Abū Muhārib al-Muhājir" rather than Mohammed Emwazi. In the bio portion, it says his early life was spent in the "northeast of the Arabian Peninsula" but he moved to London with his family at a young age. His mother was originally from Yemen. [More....]

ISIS accuses the Taliban of heroin trafficking in Issue 13 of Dabiq Magazine, released today. The following quote is from an interview with Shaykh Hāfidh Sa’īd Khān (hafidhahullāh), ISIS' Wali (governor) of the Wilayat (Wilāyah) Khurāsān:

Dābiq: Does the nationalist Taliban movement continue to allow farmers to sell opium? How is the Wilāyah dealing with this serious phenomenon?

The Wālī: There’s no doubt that the nationalist Taliban movement has permitted farmers and merchants to grow and sell opium. Rather, the matter has reached the point that the movement itself harvests opium, and even worse than that is that the Taliban themselves transport opium and heroin in their personal vehicles, charging a fee to the sellers and the addicts! They also take a 10% cut as well as taxes from them. Akhtar Mansour himself is considered as being from the major dealers of these narcotics

.

[More....]

R.I.P. Glenn Frey. I read this hours ago and I am still shocked and so very sad. He was 67. I'm also upset to think that despite his access to the best medical care, medicine couldn't save him. He suffered for for a long time.

He and the Eagles were such a huge part of my early adult life -- as they were to millions of other Americans coming of age in the 70's. I've been writing this all night and keep adding more. At some point I need to stop and publish, and this is probably as good a place as any. Here is the announcement on the Eagles' website: [More...]

Everybody has an opinion on the Democratic race for President, particularly those in the media. Outside of statistical polling, how does the media measure the public's subjective impression of the candidates? They don't and can't. They shouldn't even try. But it's futile to try and stop them. Or even to get the media to distinguish between presenting rank opinion and fact. The two have essentially merged.

Example today, from Slate, which I only came across because it was at the top of my Google News list. The article emphatically reports that Hillary won the debate last night. I may subjectively agree, but I have to question whether that is a fact or some writer's opinion. And if it's opinion, why is it leading the Google news section? [More...]

Thread.

Last Democratic debate tonight before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

Here's a place for your thoughts. Mine are expressed by the photo.

Bump and Update: Since when did "gun control" become "gun safety legislation?". That's what O'Malley called it. [More...]