As Donald Trump golfs in Florida, claiming credit for defeating ISIS, ISIS is gaining ground in Afghanistan and increasing media communications to its supporters urging them to make lone attacks in their home countries.

Their English spelling skills aren't as good as those who created older posters, but they get the point across.

A few other messages posted today by ISIS' official news agency Nashir News (hat tip to ISIS researcher Pieter in Belgium):

ISIS claimed responsibility for today's suicide attack in Kabul outside an intelligence agency. Only civilian passersby were killed.

The blast comes a week after the group claimed responsibility for an attack on a training facility of the same agency, the National Directorate for Security, in Kabul that ended when the attackers were killed before causing significant casualties.

It was an attack by ISIS' newly formed Wilayat Kashmir. The group announced its presence with a 13 minute video. The version I saw was on a Russian website and had English translation at the bottom. [More...]

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm spending the day at Ms. TL kids' parents, with the TL kids and my new grandaughter Karter (now 6 weeks old, she sends her best regards)

Please fill us in on your day and your thoughts. What was your favorite gift?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I wish all of our readers a happy holiday eve. May it be free of thoughts about Donald Trump.

If you are looking for TV, I'll suggest El Cartel I and II (called "Cartel de los Sapos")-- both seasons are now available with subtitles on Amazon Prime. It's the story of the Norte del Valle cartel in Colombia and its takedown and prosecution in the U.S., written by a former member of the cartel while in prison in Miami. It really launched the whole narco-drama series phenomenon and has terrific, now well-known actors. I've probably watched the full series three times or more. The Norte del Valle cartel was the successor to the Cali Cartel. The series is a far more accurate portrayal of real life characters and events and much better done in my opinion than American shows like Narcos which pay DEA agents to be consultants. It focuses on the corruption as well as the drug dealing.

Two Twitter feeds I'm recently added: Calorie Fixes and Tasty. Check out Tasty's five best egg hacks, you'll be a fan.

Again, Happy Xmas Eve, and please let us know what you're cooking and how you are celebrating and anything else on your mind.

Donald Trump wants to end "chain migration".

This strikes me as hypocritical. How did Melania's parents get here if not by relying on her immigration status?

Donald Trump's grandfather emigrated to the U.S. and then wanted to return to Bavaria. He was ordered deported and wrote a pleading letter to the Prince Regent on how devastating it would be to the family to deport him. [More...]

MSNBC Loses, CNN gains. Within 24 hours of MSNBC announcing it would not renew veteran journalist Joan Walsh's contract, CNN has hired her.

I'm glad CNN acted so quickly in hiring Joan. I've always liked her. In the early days of blogging, Salon, along with Newsweek and the Washington Examiner, were among the few media organizations that would actually pay bloggers to write articles. Joan was the editor of Salon at the time. (See, “McCain and Palin go to Dobsonville”.)
[More...]

The AARP says the Tax Bill jeopardizes Medicare and Medicaid.

In addition to spending cuts, there are these problems:

• The cuts for individuals are temporary
• The cuts for corporations are permanent
• By changing the way the inflation index works, people may reach higher income brackets sooner than before, and the the increase in the standard deduction will slow over time, according to the Tax Policy Center.
• The bill "limits the state and local tax deduction -- which could hurt those in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey and California."

Also, the AARP says, because there's no longer a penalty for not getting health insurance, more people will be uninsured which will raise insurance premiums for the rest of us.

As to future cuts: bq. "The large increase in the deficit will inevitably lead to calls for greater spending cuts, which are likely to include dramatic cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and other important programs serving older Americans," it said. [More...]

I've got clients this afternoon, the jail tomorrow and court on Friday-- then some Xmas shopping.

I'll be online periodically, but for right now, it's time for a new open thread, all topics welcome.

On T.J. Miller, I'm on his side. I've known him since he was 5 years old. I drove him to school for many years on my carpool days. He's always been friends with the TL kid. His parents are the most gracious, generous couple with a beautiful home they always opened up on holidays for parties for the entire class or group. The alleged incident is totally out of character for the T.J. I knew.

Here's TJ and his wife Kate's statement. [More...]

The Republican tax bill will pass today, even without John McCain. Trump and the wealthy individuals and corporations that benefit from the bill will celebrate. Most Americans, when they realize not only aren't they benefiting, but the cuts will be paid for by future cost-cutting to social programs like Medicare, Medicaid, etc. will cry in their coffee.

What goes up, must come down. Trump will leave office with thud. All charlatans ultimately get exposed. Trump is no wizard and there is no Oz.

The NY Times has this calculator for you to use to determine whether your taxes will go up or down.

Matthew Peterson, who worked at the FEC for 10 years (5 of them with Trump aide Doug McGann), has withdrawn his name from consideration as a federal judge for the District of Colombia after a dismal performance at his confirmation hearing yesterday.

He's never tried a case, doesn't know what the Daubert standard or a motion in limine is, has never argued a motion, conducted a deposition by himself, and he last read the federal rules of evidence in law school.

He is the third Trump judicial pick to fall this this month [More...]

The New York Times reports today on efforts of suburban republicans in places like Texas who are so disgusted by Donald Trump they are organizing for Dems in the 2018 election.

“Have you ever heard of a stupider and trashier man than the president of the United States?” asked Ms. Sharp, an interior designer who lives not far from the elegant condominium where about 75 women gathered this month to help the House candidate Lizzie Pannill Fletcher. “Calling a U.S. senator ‘Pocahontas’ in front of God and everyone!”

[More...]

9th Circuit appeals court judge Alex Kozinski is resigning immediately due to 15 allegations of sexual harassment.

In a statement provided by his lawyer, Kozinski apologized, saying that he “had a broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking to both male and female law clerks alike” and that, “in doing so, I may not have been mindful enough of the special challenges and pressures that women face in the workplace.”

"It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent,” he said. “For this I sincerely apologize."

His full statement is here.