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Post - Mother's Day Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon May 11, 2015 at 07:35:00 AM EST
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I'm a day late with my Mother's Day post. Instead of asking what you planned to do, let us know what you did yesterday. I hung out with the TL kid and we had a lot of fun. I put pics of us up a few years ago on mother's day here.

This is an open tread, all topics welcome.

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    Post - Mother's Day Open Thread | 105 comments (105 topical)

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    Belated Happy Mother's Day... (5.00 / 6) (#1)
    by kdog on Mon May 11, 2015 at 09:42:38 AM EST
    to Jeralyn and all the TL Moms!

    I put in work for my family's mothers yesterday hosting a BBQ on a gorgeous spring day.  Took my first stab at making ceviche and was pleasantly surprised how it turned out...nobody got food poisoning or nuthin'! That and some grilled mussels were the appetizers, and for the main course it was chimichurri marinated flank steak skewers, sea scallop skewers with garlic and lemon, and my patented cilantro jumbo shrimp skewers w/ mickeys and corn on the cob.

    They ate like Queens for A Day, if I do say so myself.  

    Yum, that sounds fantastic! (none / 0) (#2)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:13:35 AM EST
    Wish I were a mum in your family! Actually that is probably a general statement that applies most days!

    Parent
    You know... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by kdog on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:49:20 AM EST
    you'll always be an honorary McArab Ruff!  

    Here's the ceviche recipe I used if anyone is interested...

    2 lbs. Fresh Tilapia diced, cured in 2 cups fresh squeezed lime juice in the icebox for 45 minutes covered in saran wrap.  

    Drain and squeeze out the lime, then rinse with orange juice.

    Add chopped tomato, onion, cucumber, and a green chile, some salt, and mix.

    Add 1/2 cup Clamato Juice and some hot sauce, mix again, and serve over tostadas.  

    I of little faith was expecting inedible disaster but the sh*t was good.

    Parent

    Oops... (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:50:21 AM EST
    and cilantro...can't forget the cilantro!

    Parent
    Aw, thanks! I bought a lot of those ingredients (none / 0) (#9)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:28:50 AM EST
    yesterday anyway - will try making ceviche instead of my normal boring fish.

    Stupid question from a non-cook...do you cook the tilapia first?

    Parent

    No cooking... (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by kdog on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:36:21 AM EST
    the lime juice does all the work.  

    Didn't seem plausible to me, I thought you had to let it cure overnight or at least a few hours.  But 45 minutes is all it takes...much longer than that and you ruin it.

    Parent

    that is going to take some mental processing (none / 0) (#42)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 03:56:04 PM EST
    I am making that head exploding motion with my hand...how did I not know this?

    Parent
    Acids, like lime or lemon juice (none / 0) (#43)
    by Zorba on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:12:22 PM EST
    (Or vinegar, for that matter), don't actually "cook" fish, like heat does, but they denature the proteins in fish, which basically achieves similar results.
    Fish is so delicate, it doesn't take long to get the acidic "cooking" results.
    When you are using acids to marinate, just be aware of this if you actually want to use heat to cook fish.
    I don't marinate fish, unless I want ceviche.
    I only marinate chicken for a few hours, at the most (unless you use very little acid) because the acid will also "cook" the chicken, and that is not good as far as poultry is concerned.
    For beef and pork, you can marinade stuff much longer.  Just use way more oil than you do acids.

    Parent
    Not Just Fish... (none / 0) (#45)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:18:38 PM EST
    ...at least in Texas, is also has raw shrimp, clams, conch, and I want to say squid or octopus.  They also use just about every kind of fish on the menu.  It's obviously safe, but my mind won't let me take that step.

    My GF loves the stuff.


    Parent

    If you are going to make ceviche with shellfish (none / 0) (#65)
    by vml68 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 12:12:28 AM EST
    of any kind, the shellfish needs to be very, very fresh. As in fresh of the boat. If not, it needs to be lightly steamed before marinating in your choice of citrus juice.
    So, for the majority of us whose seafood is purchased at the grocery store, please steam the shrimp, scallops, squid, octopus, clams, etc., before marinating.

    Try some Peruvian ceviche recipes if you can. Quite a few of the recipes use Aji panca (yellow pepper paste) which gives it a really nice flavor. The paste is readily available in most Latino grocery stores.

    Parent

    Well, even when we make ceviche (none / 0) (#91)
    by Zorba on Tue May 12, 2015 at 06:38:55 PM EST
    out of fish, we only make it with the fish Mr. Zorba catches that day when he goes fishing.
    Fresh is always better.  The fresher, the better.
    I don't necessarily trust even the finned fish at the store, unless you cook them.

    Parent
    Another stupid question (none / 0) (#14)
    by sj on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:52:08 AM EST
    About how many limes does it take to result in two cups of lime juice?

    Parent
    Honestly, I would buy a bottle (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by Peter G on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:54:50 AM EST
    of 100% lime juice at the grocery store, and then add a few fresh limes for garnish and pulp.

    Parent
    I second that suggestion...I've always (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:15:18 PM EST
    found limes to be notoriously stingy at giving up their juice, even when you do all the juice-inducing prep - warming them, rolling them on the counter, etc.  It's one thing to need even a 1/4 cup, but 2 cups?  No thanks.

    And they're not always cheap, either!

    Parent

    I Watched a Guy... (none / 0) (#32)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:50:42 PM EST
    ...squeeze limes to make about a gallon of lime juice for Margaritas.  It looked like so much work, and he had a machine, that I started feeling guilty about drinking one, then I got another and that feeling went away.

    On a weekend day, I bet the more popular places serve over 500 margaritas, especially if it's hot out.  I am guessing 10 limes per drink, 16 for the large version.

    Parent

    Fresh tastes better (none / 0) (#22)
    by Jeralyn on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:27:03 PM EST
    Try this -- it's $29.95 at Bed Bath Beyond, Best Buy and Lowe's. A snap to use and the three parts are dishwasher safe. Tastes much better than bottled and it's better for you.

    It takes about 3 limes to make 1/2 cup. It works really well with oranges and grapefruits too.

    Limes here are 3 for $1.00 except when there's a shortage, and then they are about $.59 each.

    Parent

    Well, Jeralyn, when I was a lot younger, ... (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 07:17:20 PM EST
    Jeralyn: "Fresh [lime juice] tastes better."

    ... after my friends and I had downed a pitcher or two of margaritas -- which has been my absolute favorite drink for simply forever -- you could've blended them with Prestone and we'd have drunk them anyway.

    Parent

    Okay, now I think you've ... (none / 0) (#25)
    by sj on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:31:50 PM EST
    ...changed my mind. I do love fresh lime juice.

    Parent
    For ceviche, I would stick with fresh lime juice (none / 0) (#66)
    by vml68 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 12:29:46 AM EST
    over the bottled juice. You can really taste the difference.

    Also, the ratio of lime juice to fish is usually 1:2. So, you could make  kdog's recipe with one cup of lime juice for the 2lbs of fish. Save those extra limes for the margaritas!!

    Parent

    Do you have to hand-hold the (none / 0) (#28)
    by Zorba on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:42:00 PM EST
    lime (lemon, orange, whatever) on it?  Because with the increasing arthritis in my right hand, I'm finding it harder and harder to hold the fruit and press it down on our electric juicer.
    I guess I need an electric juicer with a press.

    Parent
    Another stupid question (none / 0) (#15)
    by sj on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:52:18 AM EST
    About how many limes does it take to result in two cups of lime juice?

    Parent
    I lost count... (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:57:09 AM EST
    and my wrist still kinda hurts from squeezing them all by hand sj.  If I'm gonna make ceviche often I will need to get a press juicer.

    It was probably around 15-20 I guess?

    Parent

    Yikes! (none / 0) (#23)
    by sj on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:27:53 PM EST
    Kudos to you for going with fresh ingredients. And the recipe is great. I will definitely be trying it. Soon.

    But I think I'm also going to take Peter's advice.

    Parent

    Was that a very special Mother's Day episode (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:17:43 AM EST
    of Mad Men? Made me cry, Mother's Day being a sad day for me anyway having lost my mom too young and no kids of my own.

    what's next, oh yeah, Father's Day, great....

    As always,check out (none / 0) (#12)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:47:26 AM EST
    Tom and Lorenzo on Mad Men. They do a weekly general review, as well as a weekly highly detailed costuming analysis that comes out on Wednesdays. Really have added a lot to my appreciation of the show.

    Parent
    Happy Mother's Day (none / 0) (#16)
    by sj on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:53:16 AM EST
    In honor of your Mom. She raised a fine kid.

    Parent
    Agreed. (none / 0) (#30)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:47:43 PM EST
    Betty Francis is not the most sympathetic of characters, but her letter to Sally -- in which she gives her teenaged daughter specific directives on how to handle certain matters in her absence, and then concludes by urging her to move on afterward to live her own life on her own terms -- has to stand as one of the show's most poignant and heartbreaking moments.

    Parent
    She s a complex character in a show full of them (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 03:54:08 PM EST
    She has always had more below the surface, and I'm glad she showed a little of that to Sally in the last few episodes. They had a cute moment a few weeks ago when Sally was teasing her about something...finally learning to use her teenage snarky personality to laugh with her mother. That is such a real milestone in development that you rarely see captured on TV. It really made me miss sitting around the table laughing with my mom about this or that.

    I'll miss this show!!!!

    Parent

    Mother's Day gets complicated when (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:39:21 AM EST
    your children have children of their own, and you still have your own mother, but all things considered, it's a pretty good problem to have!  I think of all those whose moms are gone, whose kids live far away and realize I am blessed.

    I took my mom to lunch on Saturday, and my younger daughter joined us with her 6-month old - her husband was due home later that night from a 3-week work trip to Spain and Italy, and this way, she could have her first Mother's Day more or less to herself (although all three of them stopped over on Sunday for a little visit), while still paying homage to me and her grandmother.

    My husband and I went to our other daughter's in-laws for a nice late-afternoon cook-out on Sunday, which was lots of fun - and the food was great - as always.  The day started out overcast and humid, but gradually cleared and was sunny and breezy and just perfect for sitting outside.

    We were home before 7:00, so a relaxing Sunday evening to transition to yet another work week.

    Hope all the moms out there had a great day and were appropriately honored for all they do!

    The Marshall Project (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:47:52 AM EST
    If you're looking for a companion blog to the kinds of crime and justice issues Jeralyn covers, I'd highly recommend The Marshall Project; I found it when I discovered the David Simon piece on Baltimore.

    Mission statement:

    The Marshall Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization founded on two simple ideas:

    1) There is a pressing national need for high-quality journalism about the American criminal justice system. The U.S. incarcerates more people than any country in the world. Spiraling costs, inhumane prison conditions, controversial drug laws, and concerns about systemic racial bias have contributed to a growing bipartisan consensus that our criminal justice system is in desperate need of reform.

    The recent disruption in traditional media means that fewer institutions have the resources to take on complex issues such as criminal justice. The Marshall Project stands out against this landscape by investing in journalism on all aspects of our justice system. Our work will be shaped by accuracy, fairness, independence, and impartiality, with an emphasis on stories that have been underreported or misunderstood. We will partner with a broad array of media organizations to magnify our message, and our innovative website will serve as a dynamic hub for the most significant news and comment from the world of criminal justice.

    2) With the growing awareness of the system's failings, now is an opportune moment to amplify the national conversation about criminal justice.

    We believe that storytelling can be a powerful agent of social change. Our mission is to raise public awareness around issues of criminal justice and the possibility for reform. But while we are nonpartisan, we are not neutral. Our hope is that by bringing transparency to the systemic problems that plague our courts and prisons, we can help stimulate a national conversation about how best to reform our system of crime and punishment.
    Thanks Anne (none / 0) (#19)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:13:16 PM EST
    I took your advice and checked it out and

    found a very interesting article on Hillary.

    Parent

    Yes - I posted that link in a previous (none / 0) (#21)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:20:26 PM EST
    open thread, and asked whether anyone really knows what Hillary Clinton is for or against.

    It seems like in her heart, she has very liberal sensibilities, but she is ruled by her head, which calculates the political benefit or harm from the various options available.

    Parent

    Like a Month to Light... (5.00 / 2) (#27)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:37:21 PM EST
    ...and I don't mean Hillary.

    Parent
    Like a Moth to Light (none / 0) (#48)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:39:05 PM EST


    Parent
    I'm so glad you fixed that - I thought (none / 0) (#58)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 09:03:36 PM EST
    I was losing my mind or having a stroke that it made no sense to me...but, then, battling the Legion of the Loons will do that to a person.

    Parent
    I agree (none / 0) (#31)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:48:15 PM EST
    , but she is ruled by her head, which calculates the political benefit or harm from the various options available.

    And means she is a politician.

    Parent

    Surprise: (none / 0) (#50)
    by Mordiggian 88 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 05:08:50 PM EST
    People who choose a political life are politicians.

    Funny how you hold that against her.

    Parent

    Well, there you go again (none / 0) (#54)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon May 11, 2015 at 07:18:30 PM EST
    ;-)

    Now where did have I said I hold being a politician against Hillary.

    Her actions and many lies, yes.

    Parent

    And what "many lies" are those, Jim? (none / 0) (#55)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 07:49:10 PM EST
    Would they include her denials that she was having an affair with Vincent Foster and killed him, or her insistence that there was no cover-up at the State Dept. regarding the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi?

    So many manufactured pseudo-scandals for you to choose from, and yet so little time left to do so before Hillary becomes president and imposes Sharia Law. And whether or not you realize or acknowledge it, between bong hits the universe is laughing at you behind your back.

    :-|

    Parent

    Sorry, Donald (none / 0) (#57)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon May 11, 2015 at 08:54:26 PM EST
    Her lies are legion and now we get to watch her walk back what Bill did as if she had no input.

    You keep on commenting that the universe is laughing at me.

    Donald, please write this down.

    I don't care what anyone thinks or believes. I am my own man and I don't need a surrogate "Moma" to feed my ego.

    Have a nice day my pet love coast hale. I knew there was some good in you somewhere.

    Parent

    You live in a parallel universe. (none / 0) (#60)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 09:49:44 PM EST
    It's quite obvious that you don't care what others think of you, no doubt because you're one of those rare individuals who don't embarrass easily.

    Parent
    et al (none / 0) (#70)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 12, 2015 at 08:13:14 AM EST
    Here's a few

    And then we have the email scandal to put some icing on the cake.

    Face it. Her reputation proceeds her.

    Donald, why should I care what people think about me when those persons have demonstrated time and again their hatred of anyone who disagrees with their political views?

    Parent

    Um, that the famous toad (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by Mordiggian 88 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 08:53:15 AM EST
    Impersonator Dick Morris?  Talk about a credible source.

    You know how to pick 'em, Jim.

    Parent

    Meanwhile (none / 0) (#74)
    by FlJoe on Tue May 12, 2015 at 09:43:28 AM EST
    everything remains Kosher at the GOP buffet table.

    Parent
    What lies, Jim? (none / 0) (#64)
    by Mordiggian 88 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:56:56 PM EST
    If you can't be specific about them, why should anyone listen to you about her in the first place?

    Parent
    You (5.00 / 2) (#69)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue May 12, 2015 at 07:14:11 AM EST
    have to understand how Jim's mind works. It's just like the fundamentalists who decided something and then work backwards and find a bible verse to justify what they are doing.

    Jim buys into every conspiracy theory that comes down the pike. And if anyone doesn't justify these conspiracy theories then they are "lying" but when the actual facts are shown like Bush lying then that's not lying. Just your usual tea party nut.

    Parent

    Wouldn't it be advisable (none / 0) (#75)
    by Mordiggian 88 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 09:48:32 AM EST
    In general, for all commentators here to quit making things up?

    Parent
    I Clicked on... (none / 0) (#26)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:34:21 PM EST
    ...'By the Numbers'.  Fascinating, but not in a good way:

    • (41.3) % decrease of juveniles confined in the US, 2001-2011

    • 190 months average from sentencing to execution

    • $261M raised by state supreme court candidates, 2000-2013.

    • 50.5% federal, state, local inmates with chronic conditions, 2011-2012

    • 0.016% of NYPD stop-and-frisks found a gun, 2002-2013

    • 624 mine-resistant vehicles given to law enforcement agencies by the Pentagon

    • 521 people executed in Texas since 1976

    • 13 people executed in California since 1976

    • 1471 people executed in the U.S. since 1976

    • 69% of murders by firearm, 2013

    • 35% of murders of black men went unsolved, 2012


    Parent
    Yeah, it's pretty depressing. (none / 0) (#29)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:45:13 PM EST
    But I think people need to know, otherwise, I don't see much hope of changing it.

    Parent
    The 1 in 3 Black Men... (none / 0) (#46)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:20:16 PM EST
    ...really shook me.

    Parent
    The Family Guy (5.00 / 1) (#36)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 02:01:28 PM EST
    Brian, the dog is explaining to Stewie, the baby, that there is no Santa Claus.  

    Stewie: [laughs] Rea-rea-Really, Brian? He doesn't exist?

    Brian: That's right, he's not real!

    Stewie: Oh, interesting, interesting theory, Brian. Um, who else isn't real? Hmm? Y...You gonna tell me Elmo isn't real? Huh? SpongeBob? Is he not real, Brian? Is he? Is SpongeBob not there at the bottom of the ocean giving Squidward the business? Hmm? And what about Curious George? Huh? Does he not really exist? Hmm? Is Curious George not really out there makin' little boats out of newspapers that he should be delivering? Huh? Educate yourself, you fool.

    Just reminded me of a commenter here.

    Gosh - I wonder who it could be????? (5.00 / 1) (#37)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 02:08:56 PM EST
    Thanks for the chuckle, Scott - I needed that on this boring Monday afternoon.

    Parent
    If you say his name three times (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Mordiggian 88 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 02:40:22 PM EST
    while watching Fox News, he'll appear on a thread.

    Parent
    Happy belated mothers day (5.00 / 1) (#73)
    by CST on Tue May 12, 2015 at 09:38:52 AM EST
    We should celebrate with national parental leave.

    Parental leave--from the (5.00 / 1) (#78)
    by oculus on Tue May 12, 2015 at 10:57:48 AM EST
    kids?  

    Parent
    I agree...boy, do I agree. (5.00 / 2) (#79)
    by Anne on Tue May 12, 2015 at 10:58:01 AM EST
    My older daughter was lucky to afford - sort of - to stay home with her baby until he was almost a year old, and even more fortunate to find good day care close by.  But they are planning to add to their family, and I don't think she can swing that year off again.

    My younger daughter stayed home with her baby until he was 12 weeks old - and it was not fun doing most of it without pay.  She went back to work three days a week for the first month, and then went to four days - but financially, they could use the full five days.  One of the days, she has my niece watching the baby, but that's going to end in a couple weeks when she graduates from college.

    Her main problem is one of logistics: she works out of one office three days a week that is close to her day care mom.  The other two days, she would have to work out of a different office, which is closer to home, but not to day care.

    She keeps asking me if I'm sure I can't retire - and I would love to if I could - and it just kills me that she and her husband have to be on this insane treadmill when the baby is still so young.

    I'm sure they will all get through it, but I also know they want at least one more child, so this is giving them something to think about as they look ahead.

    Parent

    A victory, at least for today (5.00 / 2) (#85)
    by MO Blue on Tue May 12, 2015 at 03:27:26 PM EST
    Senate Votes, 52-45, To Block Obama On Fast Track on trade.

    Good (5.00 / 1) (#90)
    by FlJoe on Tue May 12, 2015 at 05:20:09 PM EST
    one from Charlie for all the EW fans out there. She is dominating above her weight class in the Senate and beyond. Not running for president is the best thing she could have done for herself and more importantly the country.

    Agreed. (none / 0) (#95)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 09:13:54 PM EST
    I really don't know why President Obama picked this particular fight with Sen. Warren and progressives, but you'd think he'd have realized by now that he's at his absolute worst whenever he comes across as patronizing and / or belittling, which he certainly did here. Some politicians can get away with that. He's one of those who can't.

    In so many ways, it was not unlike his snarky "You're likeable enough, Hillary" interjection during a debate with Mrs. Clinton the eve of the 2008 New Hampshire primary, which spurred a backlash and likely led to his stunning upset at Clinton's hands a few days later, which in turn thrust her right back into the race.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    I suspect Obama picked this (5.00 / 2) (#96)
    by caseyOR on Tue May 12, 2015 at 09:31:56 PM EST
    fight because he very much wants TPP to succeed, and for that to happen he needs to get fast track passed, and he needs to keep as much of the details of TPP secret as he possibly can, and he needs to discredit those who oppose it. If people know what is in TPP the opposition to its passage will be fierce.

    Never trust anything Obama wants to get through Congress when his biggest Congressional allies are members of the Republican leadership.

    As to his tone- well, Obama has a snotty streak that most often comes out when dealing with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. And he just cannot resist the patronizing tone with women.

    It is possible he has an eye cast toward his post-White House income needs. Couldn't hurt to have delivered a big win to the multi-national corporations.

    Parent

    Face it (5.00 / 1) (#98)
    by FlJoe on Wed May 13, 2015 at 06:34:06 AM EST
    He is one of "them" now , ex-presidents get an honorary membership in the .01%. In a couple of years he will be jet-setting around the world with billionaires, attending lavish fund raisers and giving speeches @ half a mil a pop. TPP is just doing a favor for his future bros, paying it forward so to speak.

    Parent
    Tonight, Bergen-Hersh Shootout (none / 0) (#5)
    by RickyJim on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:46:47 AM EST
    Two great investigative journalists will argue about the background of the OBL assassination:

    Watch Bergen and Seymour Hersh discuss the Osama bin Laden killing at 8 p.m. ET Monday on CNN's "AC360°."
     Bergen has taken exception to Hersh's piece in the LRB this weekend.

    For Those Who Missed It (none / 0) (#59)
    by RickyJim on Mon May 11, 2015 at 09:31:48 PM EST
    I hoped it was going to be an in depth debate but it was just some sound bites.  Here is the link.

    Parent
    Interesting account of (none / 0) (#8)
    by oculus on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:24:46 AM EST
    the testimony of Sister Helen Prejean on behalf of the defense in Tsamaev sentencing phase. She is "considered to be an expert on remorse."

    USA Today

    "My old job"...as Bill Maher would say (none / 0) (#10)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:29:32 AM EST


    Parent
    I just read a lengthy (none / 0) (#24)
    by oculus on Mon May 11, 2015 at 12:30:28 PM EST
    article re remorse in the context of a criminal case. The only discussion re expert testimony was that it might help the jury better understand that it is unreliable to judge a defendan'ts remorse based on his demeanor and it statements.  

    Parent
    Fasten (none / 0) (#33)
    by FlJoe on Mon May 11, 2015 at 01:31:33 PM EST
    your seat belts folks.

    Well, at least no one's dead, right? (none / 0) (#34)
    by Anne on Mon May 11, 2015 at 01:43:43 PM EST
    Is there an ex-girlfriend involved?

    Lordy.

    Parent

    Maybe Someone Thought... (none / 0) (#35)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 01:53:29 PM EST
    ...he looked like he was up to no good.

    Instant Karma's gonna get you
    Gonna look you right in the face
    Better get yourself together darlin'
    Join the human race
    How in the world you gonna see
    Laughin' at fools like me
    Who in the hell d'you think you are
    A super star
    Well, right you are


    Parent
    Oh, jeez (none / 0) (#44)
    by Zorba on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:15:12 PM EST
    I had hoped that we would have heard the last of the Z guy.
    But alas, that is not to be.  :-(

    Parent
    Yep. And Jeralyn's right on it, ... (none / 0) (#39)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 02:58:42 PM EST
    ... deflecting from the Open Threads the heat-seeking missiles that are inevitably headed this way.

    Parent
    Well, I've officially resigned my position ... (none / 0) (#40)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 03:49:04 PM EST
    ... as regional chair in the Democratic Party, effective at the end of last Saturday's county meeting. (Sigh!) I guess this means that we really are moving to the Big Island next month, after all.

    On Saturday morning, we're heading down to the Young Bros. terminal at Honolulu Harbor, to put my car on that afternoon's interisland barge to Hilo. I'm flying over there Monday afternoon for work, and will pick it up once I arrive. (The airport and harbor are right next to one another.) We're shipping The Spouse's car over there in July, because in the meantime we'll need it over here during our transition.

    Our contented calico is staying put in east Honolulu with Elder Daughter, since she is really her feline. Plus, she's also twelve years old now, and this is her home. Younger Daughter has since found us another pet for our new abode, since she told us at spring break that she and her roommate had been caring for a young cat that was apparently abandoned on the UH-Hilo grounds. He started hanging out at the dorms, and they felt sorry for him and took him in.

    Understandably, once school housing officials found out about it, they curtly informed the girls that no pets of any kind were permitted in the dorms, so she asked if it would be all right to keep him at the new house. How could we say no? He really is a people-oriented and very friendly little guy, a 2-year-old dark gray tabby who's kind of a runt at only 7-8 lbs. (And yes, he's been fixed.) Anyway, he's now been there for about six weeks, and Younger Daughter comes over every day to visit and feed him and clean his litter box.

    I've never ceased to be amazed, both by the various ways in which our feline and canine friends will sometimes just fall haphazardly into our lives, with no prior planning or warning, and how they invariably end up becoming the best furry companions one could ever want.

    Aloha.

    It's Been My Experience... (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by ScottW714 on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:37:56 PM EST
    ...that street animals, for me dogs, are the best kind of pets.  I think part of lasting on the streets is being people friendly, the ones that aren't get snagged up by animal control pretty quick.

    The only problem, and this is very anecdotal, is the health issues associated with living on garbage.  

    Parent

    My cousin has a part Lab / part whatever ... (5.00 / 1) (#52)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 07:00:17 PM EST
    ... that had been abandoned even years ago and was hanging out around a neighborhood grocery store parking lot in Glendora. She was not yet a year old, and was being stalked by a couple coyotes when she sought my cousin's company as protection. He allowed her to jump into his car and then he took her home, where his kids begged to keep her. She's been a great dog.

    I come from a big family of animal lovers going back several generations on my mother's side, so adoption of a furry friend in need is probably just second nature to us. I do wonder how many people have actually become pet owners through random and immediate circumstances of the moment, rather than as a calculated decision. I bet it's likely a lot more common than we might otherwise think. As both you and many others here know, all it takes is an open heart and a personal willingness to rise to the occasion.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    My current dog (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by sj on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:08:51 PM EST
    was taken from the streets of Baltimore. She had been wandering the streets at least three weeks before she wandered into our yard enabling us to catch her. I think she was ready to give up -- she was a completely different dog the next day. She was playful and approachable and not sad and withdrawn. We are very content together.

    Before that, my Beautiful Boy had been abandoned at a truck stop. I still miss him lots. He was a superior dog. At my apartment building all the other dogs looked up to him. He would groom them all but wouldn't let them get away with poor behavior. Loved that boy.

    Parent

    I think that animals which were once pets, ... (none / 0) (#68)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 06:21:44 AM EST
    ... but who were later either abandoned or lost, do have an innate sense for identifying friendly or sympathetic folks who could help them out or at least give them something to eat. That sounds like what your dog may have done with you, and thank you for taking her in and giving her a home.

    Our cat here on Oahu showed up on our back porch eleven years ago and hung out there for several days. Now, I had seen her before around the immediate neighborhood and knew she belonged to a military family that lived in our townhouse complex, so I initially didn't think twice about it. But when the girls, then ages 13 and 9, tried to take her back home, they discovered that the family had moved out and had abandoned their pet in the process. So that's how we came to adopt her.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Every cat we've owned (5.00 / 3) (#82)
    by Zorba on Tue May 12, 2015 at 02:38:05 PM EST
    in the last thirty years, since we've lived out in the country, has been a stray.
    While it's true that there are a lot of feral cats up here, we've never been able to get anywhere near the true ferals, although we have tried.
    The cats we took in and adopted were most likely drop-offs, because they were pretty tame, after they got over their fright.
    "Drop-offs," unfortunately, are not uncommon in this area.  People seem to think that it's acceptable to drive out to the country and dump their unwanted cats.
    I will never understand this.  One of the cats was pregnant.  One of her three kittens died, we adopted the mother and one of her kittens, and found another home for the second survivor.
    (We make sure to get all our cats spayed or neutered, and they receive excellent veterinary care and lots of love.)
    What is the matter with people who would be so callous as to dump their unwanted pets?  There must be a special place in hell for people who would do this.  (And an even deeper level of hell for people who abuse or torture their pets.)

    Parent
    Honolulu is renowned for its feral cat population. (none / 0) (#86)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 03:49:13 PM EST
    During his visit to the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1866, Mark Twain wrote a rather memorable passage about our cats in a letter to the Sacramento Union, which was published on April 19 of that year:

    "I saw cats -- Tom cats, Mary Ann cats, long-tailed cats, bobtail cats, blind cats, one-eyed cats, walleyed cats, cross-eyed cats, gray cats, black cats, white cats, yellow cats, striped cats, spotted cats, tame cats, wild cats, singed cats, individual cats, groups of cats, platoons of cats, companies of cats, regiments of cats, armies of cats, multitudes of cats, millions of cats, and all of them sleek, fat, lazy, and sound asleep; in place of roughs and rowdies staring and blackguarding on the corners[.]"

    Our overabundance of felines roaming the neighborhoods and parks, etc., has been a longstanding and stubborn problem here, particularly given the number of endangered or threatened species of birds residing on Oahu.

    And it's further exacerbated because there are a lot of well-meaning but misguided people who continue to feed them, in spite of a city ordinance prohibiting such, and they vigorously resist any efforts to reduce their numbers by means other than spaying / neutering. This April 2013 TV news story by local ABC affiliate KITV is indicative of the overall problem in my own east Honolulu community.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Cats and Homeless People (none / 0) (#87)
    by ScottW714 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 04:03:58 PM EST
    I remember both were in quantities I had never seen.  I remember a park, which was full of tents, and cats, but thinking how nice it was that there was an area that seemed to be designated for the homeless.

    I always figured the Hawaiian weather made it a mecca for the homeless, but no idea if that is true.

    I wonder why so many cats ?  

    Parent

    I would venture to guess (none / 0) (#89)
    by Zorba on Tue May 12, 2015 at 04:26:02 PM EST
    it's because for years and years, people let their cats roam free, without spaying/neutering them, and/or they just dumped their still-fertile cats when they didn't want them any more, as happens in this area.
    Cats are incredibly fertile.

    Cats normally have their first oestrous cycle between 5 and 10 months of age, with the average age around 6 months. The female cat has 2-4 oestrous periods every year, each lasting 15-22 days. If she is bred, oestrus seldom lasts more than 4 days. If successful mating does not occur, oestrus may last for 7-10 days and recur at 15- to 21-day intervals. It is possible for an unmated female to cycle every 3-4 weeks indefinitely. Cats also have an oestrous period 1-6 weeks after giving birth, so a female may be nursing one litter while pregnant with another.

    Link.

    They can have more than one litter a year.
    That can lead to a whole lot of feral cats, in a relatively short period of time.

    Parent

    I imagine you're correct, Zorba. (none / 0) (#93)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 07:45:13 PM EST
    And it's likely further compounded by the fact that the common domesticated cat has no natural enemies in the wild out here in the islands that can prey on them, which in California and the rest of the mainland would include coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, golden eagles and great horned owls. So they are literally an apex predator in the natural food chain, and thus the biggest threat to them is, aside from humans and not surprisingly, other cats.

    Parent
    Those early ships (none / 0) (#104)
    by jondee on Wed May 13, 2015 at 02:52:38 PM EST
    were notorious rat carriers.

    I'm guessing the cats were brought to control the rats.

    Parent

    If a member of the military ever abandons (5.00 / 2) (#100)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 13, 2015 at 09:37:34 AM EST
    Their animals contact the MPs of the base or post the soldier served at.  If they haven't retired from that base or post and still accountable to the military they will be held accountable.  And if a home for the pet isn't available and the base or post has a vet clinic, they will often assist in rehoming.

    Parent
    Thank you for that information, even if ... (none / 0) (#102)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed May 13, 2015 at 01:17:05 PM EST
    ... it's a little late in the day for that now in our case. But I'll certainly remember it for future reference to pass on to others as needed, because we have a huge and active military presence on Oahu, and unfortunately the issue of abandoned pets is not that uncommon.

    Parent
    10 years ago you probably would be (5.00 / 1) (#103)
    by Militarytracy on Wed May 13, 2015 at 01:43:10 PM EST
    Hard pressed to get the military to care.  Animal awareness and issues have changed though.  We have so many more working dogs now, and the on post and on base vets are there for that purpose.  They provide services to military pets because they have the time, they use it for training purposes, and it makes another family member safer and healthier.  If the pet has seen a military vet on a base or post there are usually extensive medical records on the animal.  Visiting the military vet for a pet exam is just like visiting a human doctor for your yearly physical.  It is almost grueling. But it is part of their training on examining and record keeping of the working dogs.  I'll bet with such detailed records if they existed, they can just about identify a non-microchipped pet.  All pets living on base or post must be microchipped, but if you live off base or post they don't have to be.

    Parent
    Sound like some big changes for you (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by ruffian on Mon May 11, 2015 at 04:40:29 PM EST
    and the family - good luck with everything...moving is WORK!

    I just got off the phone with a friend who is about to take her 22 yr old cat to the vet for the last time. 24 years ago this friend helped me move from California to Colorado - drove out there with me and my 2 cats in the car, then flew home. She had never been around cats before then - feared them and in fact thought purring was growling - did not know it was a sign of contentment! She fell in love with my cats and it was not too long after that she adopted 2 brother kittens. The other guy lived to be 20! Some good genes in that litter.

    When you think about it, the bonds that we develop with animals are truly amazing - inter-species communication and empathy. Too bad we can't do better with members of our own species.

    Parent

    Wow. That's a long-lived cat! (none / 0) (#51)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 06:40:02 PM EST
    When I was in 9th grade and walking back home from baseball practice, I found a kitten that had been put in a burlap bag and tossed out on the side of the road. (How some people can be so cruel, I'll never know.) I brought him home, not knowing what else to do, and my mother felt sorry for him because he was maybe six weeks old at most. She took him to the vet's and after he got a clean bill of health, she decided to keep him. He was a cherished part of the household for 20 years, and Mom was heartbroken when his kidneys finally failed and she had to put him down.

    Parent
    My ex GF, the vet (5.00 / 1) (#99)
    by fishcamp on Wed May 13, 2015 at 08:34:08 AM EST
    said she learned in school, the oldest known cat was 32 years old.

    Parent
    "Deflate-Gate" Update: (none / 0) (#56)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 11, 2015 at 08:22:21 PM EST
    The NFL has suspended New England QB Tom Brady for the first four games of next season, fined the Patriots organization $1 million (chump change) and stripped the team of its first round draft pick next year.

    Meanwhile, John Jastremski and Jim McNally, the two hapless Patriot equipment managers whom Brady apparently corralled and bribed to take part in this scheme, have been suspended indefinitely by the league.

    There's an obvious double standard at work here, to be sure. But then, neither Jastremski nor McNally were ever named MVP of a Super Bowl or married to a top supermodel, were they?

    Aloha.

    Jastremski and McNally aren't (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by Anne on Tue May 12, 2015 at 02:40:53 PM EST
    the reason fans pack the house; no one's coming out to the stadium or going to the sports bar or turning on their TV to see those guys manage equipment.  They're not making any money for the team or for the NFL, so once again, the guys who do the deed get punished more harshly than the guy who - at least as the text messages and other evidence seems to show - was the reason they were even doing it.

    In my opinion, offenses that go to the integrity of the game itself should carry the harshest penalties, and not just for the little people.  

    Brady may indeed be one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, but underneath the uniform he looks like someone who forgot what it means to be a person of integrity, who cares about the game and not just about himself.  

    If this had happened at the college level - and things like this have - all of the team's wins for the 2014/15 season would have been wiped out, and the Super Bowl taken away from them.  So, all this hue and cry over an unnecessarily severe punishment just doesn't carry any weight with me.

    Parent

    It's just sad. (none / 0) (#94)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 08:33:38 PM EST
    This is why I've increasingly soured on pro sports of late, because -- to paraphrase Lily Tomlin -- no matter how cynical I get as I've gotten older, it's somehow never quite enough.

    It takes a rather despicable person to put two guys up to a scheme to violate league rules like that, and a real coward to not man up when busted, and instead leave his co-conspirators hanging out to dry.

    That's courting bad karma, and it will eventually catch up with Tom Brady one day, much as it did with former Dodger great Steve Garvey, whose carefully cultivated All-American All-Star image was subsequently undermined by his less than honorable off-field peccadillos.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    You Know What is Not Sad... (none / 0) (#101)
    by ScottW714 on Wed May 13, 2015 at 12:44:59 PM EST
    ...#TomShady billboards. VIEW
    Twelve billboards that refer to the disgraced quarterback as "#TomShady" went up all over Jersey Tuesday morning. The signs also feature the famous "J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!" rallying cry.
    LINK

    Parent
    You should expect the suspension to be reduced (none / 0) (#61)
    by CoralGables on Mon May 11, 2015 at 10:05:56 PM EST
    to two on appeal.

    Parent
    You're probably right. (none / 0) (#67)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 05:50:09 AM EST
    The Patriots' fourth game is at the Dallas Cowboys. Hard to picture the NFL allowing Tom Brady to twiddle his thumbs at home for that marquee matchup.

    Parent
    considering all the abuse professional players hav (none / 0) (#63)
    by Amiss on Mon May 11, 2015 at 11:04:34 PM EST
    been found guilty of, I feel this was plain ole over-kill. They won't be flying their banner until Tom Brady returns.

    Parent
    eh (none / 0) (#72)
    by CST on Tue May 12, 2015 at 09:38:19 AM EST
    They had to do something.  4 games is enough to make a statement, not so much it'll ruin their season, especially at the beginning of the season - shoot, we did all right when he was out all year.  Just think of it as an injury that he'll make a full recovery from, and come back pissed off.

    Parent
    And... (none / 0) (#76)
    by ScottW714 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 10:38:41 AM EST
    ...the $2M+ Brady will not get paid.  Its why I assume his agent is screaming bloody murder.

    I don't think the appeal is going anywhere, they are saying 2 weeks for the balls and two weeks for not cooperating.  They can't back down on the not cooperating IMO, and two weeks for cheating isn't being ridiculous by any stretch.

    Goodell can say no to the appeal if he wants, which would put a pretty bad year behind him.

    The worse part of the whole thing, is he didn't need to do it.  While I doubt it will have much impact on Brady's legacy, it has certainly tarnished his reputation.  I still like the guy, but I can never look at him and not think about how he pressuring nobodies to help him cheat.

    Parent

    yea (5.00 / 1) (#77)
    by CST on Tue May 12, 2015 at 10:49:26 AM EST
    I can't feel too bad about the 2 million either.

    Rich, famous, "golden boy" not so perfect after all.  Call me not entirely shocked.

    Then again, his former teammate Hernandez is in the news today as he is being charged in yet another shooting in Florida.  So I guess it's all relative?

    Parent

    Yep. (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue May 12, 2015 at 02:29:36 PM EST
    ScottW714: "I still like the guy, but I can never look at him and not think about how he pressuring nobodies to help him cheat."

    And then those two poor chumps get suspended indefinitely for it and will likely be fired by the Patriots organization. Meanwhile, despite the four-game layoff, Golden Boy still gets to keep his job, his agent plays him up in the media as some sort of victim and adoring Patriots fans continue to cheer him as some sort of Second Coming.

    I won't dispute the fact that Tom Brady may well be one of the great quarterbacks in NFL history. But as a human being, his self-serving conduct throughout this entire deplorable and unnecessary incident proves him to also be a truly hollow man.

    So, to ensure his enshrinement in Canton (if he hasn't already), he better rack up those stats and awards in the few years he has remaining in his career, in order to compensate for the content of his character.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    He is a Shoe In... (none / 0) (#88)
    by ScottW714 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 04:17:23 PM EST
    ...for Canton, this will have zero impact on those votes IMO.

    And I doubt the nobodies are in too bad of shape when I see how the fans are reacting.  They are probably already employed and won't buy themselves a beer for a long damn time.  I wouldn't doubt if Kraft tossed them a couple bucks, or ask others to.

    I do think it's funny that Kraft said he would respect the decision, then made this statement about it exceeding reasonable expectation.  So he was prepared to respect the decision so long as it was pro-Brady.

    Parent

    Meh. (5.00 / 1) (#84)
    by Zorba on Tue May 12, 2015 at 02:53:02 PM EST
    Tom Brady's estimated net worth is $131 million.
    Here is his salary.
    This doesn't include his  $30 million signing bonus.
    That also doesn't include his endorsement deals, which I'm not bothering to look up.
    So cry me a river, Brady.  And his agent can also cry me a river.

    Parent
    10 Year Old Pregnant Rape Victim... (none / 0) (#80)
    by ScottW714 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 01:43:29 PM EST
    ...denied abortion in Paraguay.  Step dad was arrested for the rape, mother arrested for failing to protect daughter.

    The case has set off a national debate in Paraguay where abortion is banned in all cases -- even rape -- except when the mother's life is in danger.

    In a statement released in Geneva, the four experts said Paraguay has refused to provide treatment to save the life of the girl, who is five months pregnant, "including safe and therapeutic abortion in a timely manner."

     LINK

    Scary that people can be so demented by religion, which is suppose to help people feel compassion for others, can't find it in their hearts to do the obvious right thing.  To hell with this 10 year old, they got a fetus to save.

    For those who followed the Serial podcast (none / 0) (#92)
    by ruffian on Tue May 12, 2015 at 07:20:03 PM EST
    and the Adnan Syed case...there is a new podcast called Undisclosed that is done by the lawyer that originally got the Serial people involved and two other lawyers that have blogged about the case. They have dug deeper into much of the evidence. It may not have the storytelling polish of Serial, but they have really found a lot. They have 3 episodes so far, walking through what is known about the activities of Adnan, Hae, and Jay  on the day Hae disappeared. The most recent is 'Jay's Day', and the lawyer Susan Simpson has picked apart the police interviews of Jay in minute detail, showing how the Baltimore police coached him through his final statement once they knew what they wanted it to include.  

    Fascinating and chilling to deep dive into the system in action.

    Is that... (none / 0) (#105)
    by unitron on Thu May 14, 2015 at 12:25:52 AM EST
    ..."The View From LL2" Susan?

    Parent
    Tamir Rice investigation almost complete (none / 0) (#97)
    by Jack203 on Tue May 12, 2015 at 10:01:04 PM EST
    About time.  I am not sure what the cop will eventually be indicted for, but he will be, and should be indicted.

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