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Monday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 12:27:31 PM EST
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Bill Gates is investing $50 million in Alzheimer's research. He says men in his family have suffered from the disease.

I switched from iPhone5s to a Samsung Galaxy 8 last month and I'm still struggling to adjust to the differences. One thing that's great is AT&T (and maybe others) are offering Direct TV Now for $10 a month with no contract (including live and local channels) and HBO for life. With one click of your phone, and no Apple TV or other gadget needed, it mirrors to you big TV. Only downside: You can't change the language of the closed captions -- if the show is in Spanish, the captions will be too. Other downside: There's no recorder. Still, I'm not sure it's worth keeping Comcast at $200 a month for internet and TV. But I do miss my iPhone.

I'm not seeing any other news to report on at the moment.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Friday Open Thread: TL (Grand) Baby Karter News | Don Jr. in the Soup Again >

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    Crying man (5.00 / 9) (#3)
    by CST on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:41:01 PM EST
    Posts another whiny comment about how suspicious all sexual harassment allegations are.

    I probably shouldn't have written that (5.00 / 6) (#4)
    by CST on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:43:19 PM EST
    But this:

    ""My accusers are nothing but slandering opportunists taking advantage of the deteriorating influence of the patriarchy that has traditionally silenced any woman who makes such claims. If the American public at large had not finally begun truly hearing victims and decided that enough was enough, I guarantee that these women would never have had the audacity to accuse me of such heinous crimes." Moore went on to say that he would nevertheless continue his run for the Senate despite the charges against him because while the norms had shifted, they had not shifted nearly as much in Alabama."

    Sums it up

    Parent

    Oh, no, you absolutely should have. (5.00 / 6) (#5)
    by Anne on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:45:42 PM EST
    And if I could give you 1,000 for doing so, I would.

    Parent
    Roy Moore... (none / 0) (#66)
    by kdog on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:27:01 AM EST
    is basically Wooderson without the good looks, cold beer, good weed, or any charm whatsoever to go with the inappropriate predilections in paramours.

    Not alright, not alright, not alright.

    Parent

    Don Jr and WIKILEAKS (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:22:56 PM EST
    The Secret Correspondence Between Donald Trump Jr. and WikiLeaks

    Oh, boy. (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by KeysDan on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:39:33 PM EST
    lock him up.

    Parent
    Might be worth looking at the timing of (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by Anne on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:42:31 PM EST
    Wikileaks' suggestion that Trump contest the election results if he were to lose, and Trump's comments on that issue in the debate.

    Parent
    This timing (5.00 / 3) (#19)
    by FlJoe on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 05:43:32 PM EST
    is precise
    "Strongly suggest your dad tweets this link if he mentions us," WikiLeaks went on, pointing Trump Jr. to the link wlsearch.tk, which it said would help Trump's followers dig through the trove of stolen documents and find stories. "There's many great stories the press are missing and we're sure some of your follows [sic] will find it," WikiLeaks went on. "Btw we just released Podesta Emails Part 4."

    Trump Jr. did not respond to this message. But just 15 minutes after it was sent, as The Wall Street Journal's Byron Tau pointed out, Donald Trump himself tweeted, "Very little pick-up by the dishonest media of incredible information provided by WikiLeaks. So dishonest! Rigged system!"

    More importantly they all knew about

    it on the same day that Trump Jr. received the first message from WikiLeaks, he emailed other senior officials with the Trump campaign, including Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, Brad Parscale, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, telling them WikiLeaks had made contact. Kushner then forwarded the email to campaign communications staffer Hope Hicks. At no point during the 10-month correspondence does Trump Jr. rebuff WikiLeaks, which had published stolen documents and was already observed to be releasing information that benefited Russian interests.
     

    Parent
    They really did it (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by MKS on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 06:43:56 PM EST
    They colluded.

    I am really surprised that they are getting the evidence to prove it.

    Parent

    No (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by FlJoe on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 07:13:49 PM EST
    question at all now. Considering this pack of idiots playing spy, it's not surprising that they left such an obvious trail. Page , Papadapolus, Junior and Kushner, all out of their league IMO.  

    Parent
    Right on time, Sessions considering appointing (none / 0) (#29)
    by caseyOR on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 07:26:20 PM EST
    a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton Foundation, Uranium One sale.

    Parent
    I don't think it will amount to much (none / 0) (#31)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:20:59 PM EST
    Except a windfall for lawyers.

    it sounds like a total fishing expedition.

    All it would do is give the full mooners a whataboutism talking point.  It won't change the Mueller investigation one bit though clearly that is the goal considering one of the "topics" is Comeys handling of the email investigation.

    It's a desperation move.  I think it will be seen as such.

    Parent

    By the way (none / 0) (#35)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:50:14 PM EST
    Sessions is testifying in an open judiciary committee hearing tomorrow morning.

    It's a fair bet this will come up.

    Parent

    This is just the latest (none / 0) (#27)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 07:02:20 PM EST
    That WE know.  The mind boggles at what Mueller must know.

    Parent
    i don't see this (none / 0) (#99)
    by linea on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:02:40 PM EST
    hey really did it (#26)
    by MKS
    They colluded.  

    there is no WikiLeaks-Collusion law.

    julian Assange is an australian citizen hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to time-out the statute-of limitations for sexual-assault and rape charges in sweden. he previously had his servers located in sweden because that country has the most protective confidential-informant / journalist-publisher laws. it was wilileaks that published the secret memos illegally obtained by u.s. army soldier Chelsea Manning. there is no u.s. law prohibiting communication with assange or wikileaks.

    i believe what is needed is (for example):

    • a quid pro quo^ to drop the Magnitsky Act in exchange for russian government assistance to win the u.s. presidential election which was approved by donald trump.
    • a serious violation of a federal election law approved by donald trump.

    ^ a specific intent to give or receive something of value in exchange for an official act.


    Parent

    Of COURSE you don't (5.00 / 2) (#106)
    by Yman on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:24:43 PM EST
    I don't see this...

    there is no WikiLeaks-Collusion law.

    There usually aren't any strawman laws.

    i believe what is needed is (for example):

        a quid pro quo^ to drop the Magnitsky Act in exchange for russian government assistance to win the u.s. presidential election which was approved by donald trump.
        a serious violation of a federal election law approved by donald trump.

    There is no Linea's-Version-Of-Collusion law.  In fact, there is no "collusion" law at all.  "Collusion" is not a law, but a colloquial term used to describe what would in legal terms be a conspiracy.  The fact that you think it requires a quid pro quo or a serious violation of election law personally approved by Donald Trump is meaningless.

    Parent

    Per The Atlantic, it looks like Trump (none / 0) (#17)
    by Anne on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:47:18 PM EST
    brought that up before Wikileaks did.

    Parent
    It sounds like Don Jr. was trying to (none / 0) (#13)
    by Anne on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:39:00 PM EST
    play it cool, always waiting a couple days before doing what his wikileaks "friend" had suggested.

    Still waiting to see some signs of high intelligence in the Trump DNA.  Good news?  Not holding my breath.

    Parent

    OUt of the swamp. (5.00 / 4) (#20)
    by KeysDan on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 05:58:01 PM EST
    The unqualified (by ABA) federal judge nominee, Brett Talley, forgot that he had a wife, apparently.  In filling out his forms, he did not acknowledge, in response, that he coould identify family members or others who are likely to present a conflict of interest. Also, he did not mention this during the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing.  Mr. Talley was just fine with the Republicans, including Flake and Corker, and he is ready to go to the senate for vote.

    Mr. Talley, arguably, does have such a family member or other, and a potential conflict of interest, since his wife, Ann Donaldson, is White House counsel Don McGrath's chief of staff.  The wife, Miss Donaldson, is also a witness in the Mueller investigation of Russian/Trump campaign counter-intelligence and crimes that may be associated with such possible espionage.  Of course, you can't remember everything.

    Now that Senator McConnell, (none / 0) (#77)
    by KeysDan on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:34:35 PM EST
    and some of his merry band of senators, say they believe the women, in the Roy Moore case, maybe, they may see the light for another Alabaman, Brett Talley, and send him packing to a nice law professorship at Liberty U. Unless, of course, you are a skeptic on McConnell's new found decency and see Roy Moore as a proxy political fight between McConnell and Bannon.

    Parent
    UCLA basketball players going home (5.00 / 1) (#74)
    by McBain on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:06:44 PM EST
    and won't be charged according to this article.
    The players are not facing any charges in China, according to a person close to the situation not authorized to comment publicly because of the sensitivity of the situation. However, it was not clear whether the resolution of the case came as a result of insufficient evidence or a negotiated deal.

    Sounds like Trump worked something out with Xi Jinping or asked for a favor.  I wonder what UCLA will do?  Their own investigation?

    Linked article: UCLA will conduct (none / 0) (#76)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:32:42 PM EST
    an investigation.

    Parent
    Thanks, I missed this somehow... (none / 0) (#83)
    by McBain on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 01:37:11 PM EST
    "When members of the UCLA family fail to uphold these values, we review these incidents with fair and thorough processes. In this particular case, both Athletics and the Office of Student Conduct will review this incident and guide any action with respect to the involved students. Such proceedings are confidential, which limits the specific information that can be shared.

    But I'm not sure it will be much of an investigation.  I wonder if it will be the low threshold of preponderance of the evidence without representation routine?  
     

    Parent

    Per the UCLA Student Conduct Code, ... (none / 0) (#92)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 04:33:01 PM EST
    ... there's not much the university can do administratively. But school officials -- and in particular, head coach Steve Alford -- can certainly think twice about these young men's athletic scholarships, given the level of institutional embarrassment they've caused both the university and its men's basketball program.

    Parent
    i was right!! (none / 0) (#100)
    by linea on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:18:27 PM EST
    one of my three guesses from the previous thread was righ!
    Louis Vuitton sunglasses.

    perhaps the university can ask the chinese for the videotape.

    yes, i read that at least one of the players thanked president trump and the u.s. state department for facilitating their release.

    Parent

    A design magazine (5.00 / 6) (#101)
    by Repack Rider on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:37:10 PM EST
    ...contacted me last summer.  They were interested in the magazine I published 30 years ago, which was central to the burgeoning mountain bike movement.  Would I write an article, supply graphics, for money?

    Did it, and kind of forgot about it for five or six months.  Then it came out. They gave me 30 pages of the 80 in the quarterly issue, and they're probably high fiving themselves over how little I asked to write it.  No big deal, I knocked out the article in a few hours. AFAIK it's just an electronic publication, because I haven't seen a print version.

    Nice to be considered worthy of this kind of coverage and/or homage, so long after the creative spurt!

    Anyway, if you scroll to page 50, I get everything to the end of the issue.

    Wow, that's quite a spread - congrats! (5.00 / 1) (#103)
    by Anne on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:44:57 PM EST
    Looks like quite a challenge and a whole lot of adrenaline...

    Parent
    wow (none / 0) (#114)
    by linea on Wed Nov 15, 2017 at 11:21:29 PM EST
    you are an excellent writer!!


    Parent
    Gloria Allred holds another crying woman (2.00 / 3) (#2)
    by McBain on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:14:28 PM EST
    press conference.

    Famed women's rights attorney Gloria Allred held a press conference in New York City with the woman to announce the accusations, who "wishes to state what she alleges Roy Moore did to her without her consent" according to a press release from Allred.

    The timing is already suspicious.  Adding Gloria to the mix doesn't help.


    Didn't watch it, did you? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Anne on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:47:32 PM EST


    Parent
    Saw (none / 0) (#7)
    by FlJoe on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:59:21 PM EST
    it, seemed a bit scripted but credible. Fairly detailed description of attempted rape.

    Parent
    No happy holidays or (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by KeysDan on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 03:43:53 PM EST
    seasons greetings from Roy.   In Beverly Nelson's Year Book, he wrote: "to a sweeter, more beautiful girl I could not say "Merry Christmas," 1977. Love, Roy Moore, D.A.

    Parent
    Stick a fork (none / 0) (#10)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 03:54:10 PM EST
    In ole roy

    Parent
    As much as I could tolerate (none / 0) (#34)
    by McBain on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:50:10 PM EST
    40 year old accusations, Gloria Allred and a crying accuser are not a good combination for credibility.

    Parent
    How about the old perv (5.00 / 2) (#37)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:52:30 PM EST
    Signed her yearbook. That offer up in credibility skippy?

    Parent
    If true, yes (none / 0) (#43)
    by McBain on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 09:45:44 PM EST
    I believe he was 30 at the time and she was 15?  Doesn't prove rape but does prove something.

    Parent
    How about bad judgement? (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 09:52:21 PM EST
    And maybe a guy not so pious as he tries to appear. It seems the holier the roller, the deeper and darker the closet goes.

    Parent
    Ms. Allred's client did not (none / 0) (#75)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:29:41 PM EST
    state that Moore raped her.

    Parent
    Based on her account (5.00 / 1) (#78)
    by Peter G on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:39:15 PM EST
    a jury could even possibly find kidnapping (the locked car door) and attempted rape. I don't know Alabama law, but I wouldn't be surprised to find those are both major felonies with sentences available in the decades if not a possible life sentence for kidnapping. I defer to my prosecutor friend Oculus if I'm off base here.

    Parent
    I have zilch expertise in Alabama criminal (none / 0) (#80)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:43:32 PM EST
    law.  But Findlaw is my friend.

    Parent
    Just making reference to (none / 0) (#82)
    by Peter G on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 01:16:25 PM EST
    the kinds of facts that could support a "kidnapping" charge or "attempted" rape in an American courtroom.

    Parent
    Actually a defendant I prosecuted was (none / 0) (#94)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 05:24:21 PM EST
    convicted of kidnapping a woman (he locked her door from his (driver's) side of his Z, which I had transported on a flat bed truck so DA investigator could demo to the assembled jurors.  Defendant was also convicted of various sex crimes and/or attempts and was armed w/a knife. 21 yr. sentence.

    Parent
    Not Westlaw or Lexis? (none / 0) (#86)
    by MKS on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 01:42:17 PM EST
    Findlaw can be quick, though....

    Parent
    Retired. (none / 0) (#93)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 05:18:01 PM EST


    Parent
    I know (none / 0) (#104)
    by MKS on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:49:36 PM EST
    My post was just an attempt at....something, I think.

    Parent
    It would be a lot easier to have a (none / 0) (#84)
    by Anne on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 01:39:00 PM EST
    substantive discussion if you would avail yourself of either the video or written transcripts of Ms. Nelson's statement.

    In her statement, Ms. Nelson clearly states her age, what year it was, the date the incident occurred, and other information pertinent to the discussion.

    It's not that I think your opinion of Ms. Nelson's allegations would change, but your failure to be conversant with the facts as presented makes it harder to take your opinions seriously.

    Parent

    That's a pretty disgusting thing to say (5.00 / 3) (#38)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:55:06 PM EST
    IMO
    As a matter of fact I was thinking watching that it was pretty hard to watch it and say 40 year old allegations should be outlawed

    I though it was very compelling.  

    Parent

    By the way (none / 0) (#39)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:59:28 PM EST
    As far as why she did not speak up at the time Roy explained it.  You are just a child and I'm the DA  no one Wil ever believe you.  

    So...

    Parent

    What would be a good combination? (5.00 / 2) (#40)
    by Anne on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 09:08:29 PM EST
    Is it the tears that bother you?  That she retained an attorney? That it took too long for YOU to learn about it - because there are plenty of people who were told about it over the years.

    Leigh Corfman, the 14-year old whom Moore categorically denies even meeting?  Well, her mother remembers. The mother who was only one year older than Moore - and his attraction wasn't to the 33-year old, it was to the 14-year old.

    How about the many people from Gadsden who remember the nicely-dressed man who used to walk (cruise?) the mall flirting with teenage girls, some of whom had to ask their store managers to ask him to leave them alone?

    Oh, but this latest woman is still crying about what this man did to her so many years ago, and that makes her not credible?  I guess it's a good thing for you that you've never experienced a situation where you thought you were going to be raped, or forced to do something you didn't want to do, and were afraid for your safety.  Or were told that no one would believe you if you told anyone.

    These women have nothing to gain from coming forward. In fact, what is happening to them now is exactly why they didn't come forward before.  

    The Post had 30 separate sources for the story it published last week.  That's not nothing.

    Parent

    As I said, the timing is suspicious (none / 0) (#41)
    by McBain on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 09:27:46 PM EST
    40 years doesn't help credibility but there have been some heart breaking cases where accusers weren't taken seriously years ago despite compelling evidence.   Did you see the Netflix series "The Keepers"?  Very sad that those women couldn't sue anyone because too much had passed.  Not many people responded to my post about that show months ago.  I guess it wasn't political enough.

    Is it the tears that bother you?  That she retained an attorney?

    It's the attorney she chose, the queen of the crying woman press conference. A publicity hound.
    I guess it's a good thing for you that you've never experienced a situation where you thought you were going to be raped, or forced to do something you didn't want to do, and were afraid for your safety.  Or were told that no one would believe you if you told anyone.

    You keep making assumptions and making things personal. I don't wish to have that kind of discussion here.  

    Watch the Keepers.  We'll probably have some common ground there.    

     

    Parent

    Oh, please! (5.00 / 1) (#89)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 04:07:55 PM EST
    Women - and also quite a few men - of ordinary backgrounds have long turned to Gloria Allred when facing off with the rich and powerful because she is a fearless bulldog, and she'll stand as a firewall between the accuser and the accused. Her reputation precedes her. Judge Roy Moore might not have hesitated in about going after Beverly Young Nelson were she to make her allegations on her own. But with Ms. Allred in her corner, he'll likely think twice about it.

    The timing of these women's accusations is not "suspicious." Rather, we as a society have apparently (and at long last) crossed that threshold where for the first time, women's claims of sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of men are finally being taken seriously, and are not being summarily dismissed by most men as the fanciful imaginings of hysterical females during that particular time of the month.

    As a result, Moore has been exposed as yet another old Bible-wielding hypocritical pervert, the kind that the late suffragist Susan B. Anthony once warned us about back in 1896. The reason these women didn't speak up at the time is because they were teenagers and he was an assistant district attorney for Etowah County, AL. Seriously, who do you think would've been believed back then?

    I mean, geez, Moore was actually banned from both the Gadsden Mall AND the local YMCA in the 1980s for stalking and hitting upon teenaged girls. And yet despite public knowledge of his perversions amongst his fellow Etowah County residents, he STILL managed to work his way up the political ladder.

    There's a clear history and pattern that's been established here, and he got away with it as long as he did because he held a position of some considerable influence, which prompted many people to simply look the other way. Really, what chance would a poor white teenaged girl have at justice, with the deck stacked against her like that socially?

    As I told you earlier when discussing Louis C.K.'s problems, if there was only one accusation, I might be inclined to give a guy the benefit of the doubt. But again in this case, just as there was with C.K. and earlier with Bill Cosby, there are now multiple accusations against Moore from numerous different women whose only tangential relationship with one another is their respective mutual acquaintances with the accused. Therefore, it's time to take this matter seriously, and not move the goalposts by demanding multiple levels of proof.

    These women summoned forth the courage necessary to publicly confront a powerful and influential man, and their accounts stand as first-person eyewitness testimony against him. And since we're in the court of public opinion rather than criminal court, I do not require any corroborating evidence beyond the fact that other personal acquaintances and confidants have since affirmed their stories contemporaneously.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    i agree!! (none / 0) (#113)
    by linea on Wed Nov 15, 2017 at 11:17:39 PM EST
    i once thought of Gloria Allred as a celebrity lawyer but i have grown to see her as a compasionate defender of victims from ordinary circumstance.

    Parent
    "Doesn't help"? (none / 0) (#63)
    by Yman on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:57:21 AM EST
    Allred is orders-of-magnitude more credible than the misogynistic wingers who try to smear her and her clients.  But perhaps you're right.  Maybe his accusers - many of whom are Trump supporters and Republicans - are involved in a mass conspiracy where they informed their friends and family about the events and then proceeded to wait decades to attack an innocent Mr. Moore.  Oh - and had him sign the year book of a child he claims he doesn't know.  Or, ya know ...

    ... they're telling the truth.

    Parent

    Actually, it's worse, when you consider that (5.00 / 3) (#67)
    by Anne on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:27:10 AM EST
    Moore asked her if he could sign the yearbook - she didn't ask him:

    I turned 16 on November 14, 1977. About a month later I received my yearbook from Southside high school where I had spent my freshman and sophomore years. I happened to bring my yearbook to work with me to the restaurant on December 22, 1977. I put it down at the end of the counter. Mr. Moore happened to notice it and asked if he could write in your yearbook. I felt flattered and I said "yes". He wrote in my yearbook as follows:

    To a sweeter more beautiful girl I could not say `Merry Christmas.'

    I swear, Yman, I feel like we're dealing with a charter member of some He-man, Woman-Haters men's group.

    But he's so polite, dontcha know.

    Parent

    Very nice demonstration at Slate (5.00 / 2) (#108)
    by Peter G on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:45:01 PM EST
    by William Saletan (a distant cousin of mine) of how you go about satisfying yourself that someone is lying, and someone (or five) else is/are telling the truth, even though there is no court case.

    Parent
    And a new word: (none / 0) (#109)
    by oculus on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 11:37:54 PM EST
    presuppositionalism.  

    Parent
    Your Moral Compass (none / 0) (#79)
    by Repack Rider on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:43:24 PM EST
    ...seems to point west.

    Parent
    You might be able to get a better deal at Comcast (none / 0) (#1)
    by McBain on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 02:00:55 PM EST
    I pay $140/month for Cable/Internet/Home phone.  I don't get every channel but it includes HBO and Showtime.  You have to tell them you're going to switch to Direct TV and then they'll reduce your rate significantly.

    That's a good option. (none / 0) (#85)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 01:40:51 PM EST
    If you have 3 to 4 hours to spend on the phone trying to talk to a person at Comcast.

    They have opened "retail" outlets in my area. Without an appointment, people who walk in are told it is an hour or more wait.

    Great retail.


    Parent

    It's usually not too bad for me (none / 0) (#87)
    by McBain on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 02:38:46 PM EST
    on the phone.  Going into the retail store is another story... I try to avoid that as much as possible. On the weekends, forget about it.

    Overall, I'm not a Comcast hater but I would like to cut the cord.  My main obstacles are I don't have a good set up for a dish and without cable or satellite, I can't watch local sports.

    Parent

    Buy a digital antenna. (none / 0) (#88)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 03:07:24 PM EST
    I haven't missed a Ravens game yet. Watch them all on the local CBS or Fox channel. I got rid of cable television 3 years ago.


    Parent
    most my friends (none / 0) (#102)
    by linea on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:37:44 PM EST
    have netflix, hulu, and amazon (or two of the three) and nobady has cable or dish.

    i have a digital antenna and it gets the basic channels. but the only reason it works is because the city of seattle mandates that cable companies broadcast a few basic stations in the agreement for the use of city property.

    Parent

    clearly (none / 0) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:18:57 PM EST
    Trump is hoping for a two birds with one stone thing.  keeping the seat and getting rid of Jeff.

    one problem.  Moore is gonna lose.

    the good news for us (5.00 / 1) (#15)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 04:39:42 PM EST
    is Moore is such a pr!ck he wont quit.  ever i think.

    and they cant make him.

    and i believe he is toast.  i really do.

    concerning the "crying woman" comment above.

    she's good.  it not easy to make snot run out of your nose at will on national tv.

    Parent

    That fits with comments from a law prof (5.00 / 2) (#24)
    by Towanda on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 06:32:18 PM EST
    who had Moore in class. He was so arogant that he was unteachable, as well as a diaaster in class discussion, with his dismissive attitude toward classmates.  The prof had to revamp the entire semester, scrapping the promised seminar style for lectures, instead.

    Parent
    Nicknamed (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by FlJoe on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 06:38:53 PM EST
    Fruit Salad
    Early in the class, McGee called on one of Wilson's classmates, a United States Military Academy graduate named Roy Moore. "And, for the entire hour, McGee kept him standing and talking, standing and talking," Wilson told me recently. "Finally, at the end of the hour, McGee said to him, `Mr. Moore, I have been teaching in this school for thirty years, and in all of that time you're the most mixed-up person I've ever taught. I'm going to call you Fruit Salad."


    Parent
    I know (none / 0) (#21)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 05:58:45 PM EST
    I can't believe how anybody would think Moore was going to quit. Anybody who thinks that must not have spent any time around fundamentalists. They see themselves as on a mission from God and quitting just isn't something they will do because it would be like quitting God.

    Parent
    Quite literally in this case (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 06:14:23 PM EST
    Moore and God go way back. Sometimes, Moore autographs Bibles for Him (really) and when Moore put a monument of the Ten Commandments in the Alabama Supreme Court building, Moore put his copyright on it (for real).

    LINK

    Parent

    But he's a christian. (none / 0) (#36)
    by Chuck0 on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:50:48 PM EST
    And a christian can be forgiven. See how that works. No harm, no foul. But that sulphur smelling Hillary, she personally killed all those boys in Benghazi. She will burn in pits of hades.

    Parent
    Alabama sore loser (none / 0) (#18)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 05:40:34 PM EST
    Kept hearing conflicting info on this so I looked

    Strange lost the primary for this seat to Moore, and Alabama has a "sore loser" law preventing candidates who lose a primary election from appearing on the ballot as an independent. However, this sore loser law does not apply to write-in candidates, so Strange could potentially go down this road, Merrill said.

    "Anybody can engage in a write-in campaign if they choose," he said. "[Strange] cannot appear on the ballot again but a write-in is not appearing on the ballot."

    This could also be "not bad" news if, and he will, Moore stays in the race.

    Seriously (5.00 / 2) (#22)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 06:02:09 PM EST
    the GOP in Alabama is just flat screwed. With less than a month to go I don't see a write in having much of a chance. The only thing a write in does is gives some of the Republicans in Alabama somebody to endorse besides nobody or Moore. There was a poll that had something like 29% of evangelicals were MORE LIKELY to vote for Moore after all this was revealed.

    Parent
    Menendez jury (none / 0) (#30)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:14:37 PM EST
    is deadlocked

    with a split of 11-1 (5.00 / 3) (#42)
    by Peter G on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 09:45:38 PM EST
    for acquittal, according to the juror who was excused. Judge Walls has ordered them to continue trying tomorrow, which pretty standard for this situation. If he judge pressures a 11-1 jury it is not likely to flip, though. Either a mistrial or an acquittal seems far more likely.

    Parent
    Wow! So the case against him (none / 0) (#47)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 07:00:57 AM EST
    Not solid? Is this because ethics rules have been relaxed under Republican rule?

    My husband asked me ask you that if Brett Talley becomes an Alabama federal judge, is there a way he can later be removed?

    Parent

    On removal of federal judges (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by Peter G on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:57:39 AM EST
    There are only two ways. The judge's colleagues can put a federal judge involuntarily on inactive status due to mental or physical disability, or the judge can be removed by Congress through impeachment. There is no other way.  I should mention that more than a few underqualified judges appointed at a relatively young age have wound up voluntarily resigning after a relatively few years to go into private legal practice or to take political jobs, having discovered that the job of being a federal judge is very difficult, tiring, and not very much fun when you're not good at it.

    Parent
    Ah Ha! (5.00 / 2) (#52)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:18:26 AM EST
    All is not lost. We just have to break into Mordor and throw the ring in the fire :) Whew, I saw this done once.

    Parent
    The "ethics rules" are not relaxed but (none / 0) (#48)
    by Peter G on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:54:03 AM EST
    the definition of "bribery" has been greatly tightened (that is, narrowed) under the Roberts Court, to acknowledge the realities of money and influence in our political system. This is a good thing, from my point of view. In other words, while of course (like all of us, I would guess) I'd like to see the money-driven political system greatly reformed, until it is, I do not like giving prosecutors the discretion to label at will politicians' relationships with their donors and friends as criminal bribery. Too much risk there of politically-motivated prosecutions. And in this case, from a selfish political point of view, I just don't want to lose any of our Democratic Senators!

    Parent
    talley? (none / 0) (#49)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 08:57:25 AM EST


    Parent
    Thank you Peter (none / 0) (#51)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:15:23 AM EST
    I will read more today specifically about this. That Roy Moore has had me distracted. God that guy upsets me.

    I could not understand how Menendez could have been charged when the case was so weak.

    Parent

    Education about pedophilia (none / 0) (#32)
    by thomas rogan on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:25:03 PM EST
    Samantha Bee tweeted that Roy Moore is a pedophile.  I assume everyone here knows that a pedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to PRE-pubescent girls or boys, whereas a HEBEphile is someone who is attracted to post-pubescent girls or boys who society has decided are too young to have sex.
    If you used a pen!le plythrysmograph on heterosexual non-pedophile men and showed them nude pictures of 25 year old women and 15 year old women the same level of arousal would show up.

    How is this relevant? (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by MKS on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 08:28:05 PM EST
    Sounds like more of the Mary and Joseph excuse.

    Parent
    You're technically correct about (5.00 / 5) (#45)
    by Peter G on Mon Nov 13, 2017 at 09:58:48 PM EST
    the psychiatric/psychological diagnostic vocabulary. But (a) that's not how the word is used in common parlance; and (b) so what? The accusation against Moore is not that he had abnormal sexual responses when he was in his 30s (and was working as a county prosecutor), but rather that he acted on socially unacceptable and in some cases unlawful sexual predilections.

    Parent
    Making sweeping generalizations (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by jondee on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 12:46:25 PM EST
    about all "heterosexual non-pedophile" men won't do either.

    Whether you've been doing anthropological research by going door-to-door with penile plythrysmograph or not.

    Parent

    Interesting (none / 0) (#65)
    by Yman on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:08:23 AM EST
    HEBEphile is someone who is attracted to post-pubescent girls or boys who society has decided are too young to have sex.
    If you used a pen!le plythrysmograph on heterosexual non-pedophile men and showed them nude pictures of 25 year old women and 15 year old women the same level of arousal would show up.

    You mean if you showed it to another hebephile?  And?  What are your thoughts about this "societal" decision?  The same type of "decision" on which all of our norms and laws are based? Perhaps we can agree to use a single term for both ...

    ... perverts.

    Parent

    If the plethysmograph won't fit, (none / 0) (#91)
    by Jack E Lope on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 04:26:30 PM EST
    ...you must acquit?
    If you used a pen!le plythrysmograph on heterosexual non-pedophile men and showed them nude pictures of 25 year old women and 15 year old women the same level of arousal would show up.

    Is there a legal argument that I am not seeing here?

    Parent
    Joe Scarborough sharp dressed man today (none / 0) (#46)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 06:53:53 AM EST
    And he coordinates with Mika. I wonder if Mika has him wearing socks yet?

    Jeff Sessions opens his own questioning (none / 0) (#53)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:26:17 AM EST
    By making a statement where he flips out a little. His voice continues to shake, he sounds pretty stressed at all times.

    Conyers first question (none / 0) (#54)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:32:10 AM EST
    Is about the banana republic investigation of Hillary.

    Parent
    God in heaven (5.00 / 3) (#55)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:33:36 AM EST
    I hope I live to see that smirk ripped off his stupid face.

    Parent
    Hahaha! (5.00 / 1) (#57)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:35:42 AM EST
    He gets to you exactly the same way he gets to me.

    Parent
    Conyers is a better person than I am (none / 0) (#56)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:34:51 AM EST
    I'd jump across the room and Keebler that smirking little chitty elf!

    Ohhhhh that guy

    Parent

    Nadler getting him (none / 0) (#58)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:47:24 AM EST
    Asking hard questions. Finally smirks-mcgee  ain't smirkin.

    Parent
    "Grey area" (none / 0) (#59)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:51:53 AM EST
    In pot laws.  No sh!t.
    And capital punishment

    Parent
    Methinks he once again has conflated (none / 0) (#60)
    by Anne on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:54:17 AM EST
    outrage with honesty.

    But, really, what else does he have but that and diversion/misdirection?

    He wants to keep his job, and doing Trump's bidding on yet another Clinton investigation is probably the best way to maintain his lickspittle cred.

    Probably just as well I'm not watching/listening...

    Parent

    Honestly (none / 0) (#62)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:56:07 AM EST
    It's pretty good.

    Parent
    Sessions (5.00 / 1) (#64)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:57:54 AM EST
    "Read in the paper" about the Turkish cleric.

    Btw
    He has stopped smirking.

    Parent

    I enjoy watching his smirk melt (none / 0) (#68)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:33:18 AM EST
    Whenever someone asks a question with the letters FBI in it

    Parent
    Sometimes, he looks like a (none / 0) (#69)
    by Anne on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:44:23 AM EST
    Dr. Seuss character...

    I watched The Lorax and Horton Hears a Who with my grandson recently, so I have those images close at hand.

    Parent

    The dems (none / 0) (#61)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:55:17 AM EST
    Actually seem they have their sh!t together.

    Amazing.

    Parent

    Sessions is no Hillary Clinton (none / 0) (#70)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:48:43 AM EST
    When being grilled...hahaha

    He's so emotional :)

    Parent

    So insecure (none / 0) (#71)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:49:52 AM EST


    Parent
    Jeff Sessions stood by his original (none / 0) (#72)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:52:26 AM EST
    Under oath statement that he knew nothing about Russians attempting to infiltrate the Trump campaign, while contradicting that same testimony.

    First trial from Twin Peaks shooting (none / 0) (#73)
    by Chuck0 on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 11:00:12 AM EST
    in Waco ends in mistrial

    One of the biggest travesties of justice in American jurisprudence. One trial after over 2-1/2 years. 177 people arrested. As many rubber stamp indictments. Most were witnesses to the event, not participants. Yet Abel Reyna (McLennan county, TX DA) thinks mere presence at the meeting constitutes a crime. That or owning a motorcycle, or wearing a vest with some patches.

    As I predicted at the time this happened, nearly no one will go to jail for this. Most of the deaths were attributed to police shooters.

    Big scary biker patchholders make for good photo ops and news stories.

    Wow. (none / 0) (#90)
    by Jack E Lope on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 04:19:30 PM EST
    Since the highest-profile defendant's hearing ended in a mistrial, the other 155 (indicted on identical charges, per the article) could waste a lot of the court's time.

    Speaking of time, it looks as if the side of the prosecution contributed to the delay (or indicted too soon?):

    [Defense attorney Casie Gotro] said with all the delayed discovery she received from the state and law enforcement agencies during the trial, she thinks the next jury would hear a different set of evidence.

    The trial was delayed on several occasions, including once for two days, while the judge gave Gotro time to review evidence supplied to her by prosecutors during the trial that should have been disclosed long before.



    Parent
    i believe (none / 0) (#105)
    by linea on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 09:00:33 PM EST
    i saw a video of this.

    Big scary biker patchholders make for good photo ops and news stories.

    isn't this a state trial? will there be federal rico trial too?

    it's not very clever to wear the name and logo of a `organized criminal gang' (per the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation). in my opinion.

    Parent

    According the FBI (none / 0) (#110)
    by Chuck0 on Wed Nov 15, 2017 at 08:14:11 AM EST
    fans of Insane Clown Posse (Juggalos) are members of an organized criminal gang. So I don't take much stock in that. The Bandidos and Cossacks in Texas are motorcycle CLUBs.

    Most of the people arrested and indicted are members are neither CLUB.

    Parent

    actually (none / 0) (#112)
    by linea on Wed Nov 15, 2017 at 11:07:01 PM EST
    According the FBI
    by Chuck0
    fans of Insane Clown Posse (Juggalos) are members of an organized criminal gang.

    actually, no.
    that's not true.

    i understand why you think that this is true as this assertion is widely reported in the popular media. but linea is `smarter than the average bear' and i research such myths.

    fans of the ICP are not consdered gang members or members of organized crime. that is a sensationalized misreading of the National Gang Threat Assesment.

    however, the Banditos Motorcycle Club is classified as an outlaw motorcycle gang by the u.s. justice department. the Banditos is a criminal organization in several countries including Finland where the The Finnish Keskusrikospoliisi (equivalent of the FBI) defines Bandidos as an organized criminal group.

    the Banditos are criminals and gang members.

    of course, i still think that the police reaction and mass arrests in this incident appeared excessive.

    Parent

    It's Bandidos. (5.00 / 1) (#116)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 09:54:48 AM EST
    Or Fat Mexicans. Not Banditos.

    I don't care how they do it in Finland. There is no longer any association between Bandidos USA and Bandidos in the rest of the world. They are separate organizations.

    I used to live in this world. Being a patchholder does not equivocate into a being a criminal. I personally know Cossacks. I know Bandidos in various states. I know lots of patchholders.

    Most, have jobs, families, homes, etc. Many are white collar professionals.

    There are criminals on Wall Street, in DC, and some who even ride motorcycles.

    The FBI/ATF/DEA can suck it.


    Parent

    A friend (5.00 / 1) (#117)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 09:59:01 AM EST
    Recently said on seeing a flock in Little Rock -

    "....fu@king kidding me?  Those are bankers and lawyers.  Who else could afford all that sh!t?"

    I just went with the fact she had a point.  Sort of.

    Parent

    It's so true (none / 0) (#118)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 12:00:07 PM EST
    Everything at the Harley shop starts at $100. A can cozy, a key fob = $100. Any service starts at $500.

    Parent
    MT (5.00 / 1) (#119)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 12:47:39 PM EST
    You didn't know? HD = Hundred Dollars. Not as many believe, Harley Davidson.

    Parent
    I didn't know that (none / 0) (#120)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 12:56:07 PM EST
    I mean knew that in the Harley trenches but I didn't know that. Spouse had no time to ride his. He had a 2004 Roadking Classic. It had 2,000 miles on it in 2011. We traded it for a heat pump with a HEPA system :) Getting old.

    Some banker on the Gulf Coast bought it. Only because he beat the lawyer to it.

    Parent

    "He had a 2004 Roadking Classic." (none / 0) (#121)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 01:37:00 PM EST
    He had a 2004 Roadking Classic. It had 2,000 miles on it in 2011.

    Not an uncommon scenario with motorcycles, regrettably.

    Parent

    Many of the Hells Angels (none / 0) (#122)
    by fishcamp on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 05:22:55 PM EST
    Harley's in the film I made for the SF Chapter, back in the 70s, were $100 WWll U S Army bikes that came from Guam.  I filmed a segment where they opened the crate, scraped pounds of Cosmoline grease off, and assembled them.  I think they were the old 88's.  

    Parent
    I assume you're aware that Lefty Kreh (none / 0) (#123)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 06:52:53 PM EST
    is, sadly, getting his affairs in order...

    Parent
    Sorry for the abrupt change of topic. (none / 0) (#124)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 07:06:03 PM EST


    Parent
    wrong word (none / 0) (#125)
    by linea on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 08:49:50 PM EST
    Being a patchholder does not equivocate into a being a criminal.

    equivocate means to use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.

    being a bandidos patchholder equates to being a gang member. they are a criminal gang according to the united states department of justice.

    Bandidos leaders plead guilty to charges in murder of Hell's Angel member

    September 28, 2017
    SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - The Department of Justice announced Friday that two high-ranking leaders of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Organization (OMO) pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection to the 2006 murder of Anthony Benesh, a member of the Hell's Angels motorcycle club.


    Parent
    then again (none / 0) (#126)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Nov 17, 2017 at 07:34:25 AM EST
    everyone who smokes pot is considered a criminal by the US DOJ

    Parent
    nope (none / 0) (#127)
    by linea on Fri Nov 17, 2017 at 08:59:40 PM EST
    everyone who smokes pot is considered a criminal by the US DOJ

    this isn't true.
    simple possession is not a federal crime unless you are on federal property.

    NORML.org

    Marijuana possession remains a federal offense, and the federal law applies to offenses committed on federal property, which includes the Capitol grounds and the mall within DC, as well as all national parks and military property nationwide, and other land under federal control.


    Parent
    Yep (5.00 / 1) (#128)
    by Yman on Sat Nov 18, 2017 at 03:52:09 PM EST
    Your interpretation is completely false.  Marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance and it is illegal to use, possess, cultivate it distribute it.  State law does not overturn or preempt federal law.

    Parent
    Well it has to be owning a motor cycle (none / 0) (#115)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Nov 16, 2017 at 07:06:50 AM EST
    And patches on jackets that's illegal because it can't be open carrying guns in restaurants or anything like that :)

    Parent
    alabama robo call (none / 0) (#95)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 06:06:35 PM EST
    you really really have to hear this

    fake fishing for tales of Moore

    Oh, that (none / 0) (#96)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 06:13:12 PM EST
    is so obvious to me at least what they are doing. They even have a Jewish name and a NY accent.

    Parent
    you can only hope (none / 0) (#97)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 06:22:12 PM EST
    AL voters are not as stupid as whoever made that thinks they are

    Parent
    Bernie "the rabbi" Bernstein (none / 0) (#98)
    by jondee on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 07:38:51 PM EST
    is up to his old political tricks again.

    And it's enough to make folks down there mad enough to go out and blow up a sunday school. In Jesus's name.

    Parent

    This week's news has reminded me (5.00 / 1) (#107)
    by Towanda on Tue Nov 14, 2017 at 10:39:53 PM EST
    that Alabamans, and other Southerners, think that the Washington Post is a Northern newspaper,

    Parent
    What I really love about the Intercept bunch (none / 0) (#111)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Nov 15, 2017 at 12:20:14 PM EST
    They cheered Trump on. Now that we've all been Trumped, and our kids are losing their health care, voices at the Intercept sound upset that nobody is paying attention to the children of Yemen. Not at all. It is as if we don't even have time to read the story or listen.

    Do they not have children? Do they not understand that until your own children are safe it is hard to work on the safety of someone else's children? Do they understand that because of Trump most of us really don't have the time or energy to worry about Yemen?  Phuckin Sheesh!!! Idiots

    Monday Open Thread | 127 comments (127 topical)

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