Althouse: At the Iris Café...

June 20, 2013

At the Iris Café...

... because cf requested it, and we aim to please.

69 comments:

Icepick said...: "We aim to please."

Reminds me of old bathroom graffiti: "Our aim is to keep this bathroom clean. (Your aim would help.)"; 6/20/13, 1:15 PM
Patrick said...: Author Vince Flynn died yesterday at age 47. Although probably not great literature, his books were enjoyable reads. More than that, he was a decent guy, who made it big through sheer determination, and always had time for friends when they were in need. He was a local favorite, and will be missed.

Nice article here; 6/20/13, 1:28 PM
chickelit said...: Iridium was discovered in 1803 among insoluble impurities in natural platinum. Smithson Tennant, the primary discoverer, named the [element] iridium for the Greek goddess Iris, personification of the rainbow, because of the striking and diverse colors of its salts.; 6/20/13, 1:37 PM
edutcher said...: You are an angel, Madame.

Nice pic, too.

Interesting piece about the media that supposedly helped re-elect Choom. Apparently, its regard in the public eye is almost as low as it's ever been.

Which brings us to the asterisk President. Seems like more and more people are challenging the validity of the "election".

Their "conclusions" about the Romster, however, are based on the notion that intimidation is as far as things went.; 6/20/13, 1:55 PM
Nomennovum said...: I like the reflection of the irises in the pond as they bend over the water. It's like they have a narcissus complex.; 6/20/13, 2:01 PM
Rabel said...: All woman jury selected for Zimmerman trial. Poor George.; 6/20/13, 2:13 PM
David said...: Stock market in crapper.

Momma Fed is drying up the flow.

Now we will see if the markets predict a recovery. So far all they have been predicting is more cheap money.; 6/20/13, 2:18 PM
Sorun said...: "All woman jury selected for Zimmerman trial. Poor George."

Apparently five white and one Hispanic. It could be worse.; 6/20/13, 2:25 PM
Nomennovum said...: All woman jury selected for Zimmerman trial. Poor George.

But 2 male alternates. Justice is still a remote possibility! USA! USA! USA!; 6/20/13, 2:26 PM
ricpic said...: Momma Fed is drying up the flow.

The Bernank was "surprised" again by the market's swoon. I'll bet Ben's getting religion fast in the sense of "Please God let this pure fiction of an economy based on my free money creation - Quantitative Easing - hold up till my term is up."; 6/20/13, 2:50 PM
Anonymous said...: Such anti woman sentiment, what if 3/4 of these jurors are conservative women?; 6/20/13, 2:57 PM
lemondog said...: Momma Fed is drying up the flow.

They will reopen the spigots.

The Racial Slur Database

How can I slur thee
Let me count the ways.

re: the 'n' word, even the Amish have the 'y' word....whodathunk; 6/20/13, 3:00 PM
edutcher said...: Hey, which of the trolls kept telling us how the economy was bouncing back?

Wonder where he is now.

Inga said...

Such anti woman sentiment, what if 3/4 of these jurors are conservative women?

He can only hope.

The sentiment is prompted by the issue that the same people judging Zimmerman are the ones who voted for the slug who said his son would "look like Trayvon".

The more we find out about him, probably so.; 6/20/13, 3:03 PM
edutcher said...: lemondog said...

The Racial Slur Database

Most of those are nationalities, not races, so it should be the Ethnic Slur Database.

But I give them points for trying.; 6/20/13, 3:05 PM
edutcher said...: Looks like Choom just might be going down for the third time.

And the House rejected the farm bill. Tougher sledding for AmnestyCare?

PS In the name of twisting the knife:

That 8000 that was supposed to be at Choom's big Berlin address?

That was the number invited, turns out only about half that many actually showed up.; 6/20/13, 3:25 PM
Sorun said...: "what if 3/4 of these jurors are conservative women?"

3/4 of six jurors is 4.5. Nevertheless, it's Zimmerman's only hope for a fair trial.; 6/20/13, 3:26 PM
Icepick said...: But 2 male alternates. Justice is still a remote possibility! USA! USA! USA!

No chance. The jury will be informed that if they don't convict blacks are going to riot. They won't dare NOT convict after that. I mean, sure the LA riots after the first Rodney King beating trial looked like a lot of fun, but it was LA fun, not the kind of thing you'd want to do in your own town.; 6/20/13, 3:28 PM
Icepick said...: Also? FIRST! _AND_ 17th! Woohoo!

(It just seems like the thing to do.); 6/20/13, 3:28 PM
garage mahal said...: If Althouse didn't post this pic blacks would riot.; 6/20/13, 3:29 PM
Icepick said...: 3/4 of six jurors is 4.5.

The 0.5 is a "moderate"?; 6/20/13, 3:29 PM
Icepick said...: Now that Crack Emcee isn't around, are there any other black people here to riot?; 6/20/13, 3:31 PM
edutcher said...: Icepick said...

3/4 of six jurors is 4.5.

The 0.5 is a "moderate"?

Aren't they all?

Now that Crack Emcee isn't around, are there any other black people here to riot?

If the jury does spring him, Choom will go all community organizer and tell us they acted stupidly.; 6/20/13, 3:33 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/20/13, 3:39 PM
ricpic said...: Biggest problem for Zimmerman's attorneys is not to be aggressive. Make the case - easily made by the way, the evidence that Trayvon attacked is overwhelming - dispassionately. Show any anger, any at all, and the white women will make a beeline to the place they can prove they are in no way angry whites.; 6/20/13, 3:39 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: The original iris was named after a guy with a beard named Iris, but then the guy shaved his beard off and went with a soul patch and the Dutch rededicated it to Elizabeth Taylor on account of her purple eyes when she was all sexed up. 100% of trufax; 6/20/13, 3:43 PM
bagoh20 said...: "All woman jury selected for Zimmerman trial. Poor George."

Maybe not. It seems that around here it takes a male to think that a man would plan to chase down Trayvon, but wait until he him punches him in the nose and pounds his head into the pavement before shooting him. That's what murderers do, they give you the first few hits and a fair chance at a knocking them out before they pull out the gun.; 6/20/13, 3:44 PM
Nomennovum said...: All we now know for sure is that logic and reason will not be factors in deciding this case. We also know we will be treated to a humdinger of a drama in that Florida courtroom, and the jury will likely have an important role in it.; 6/20/13, 3:46 PM
Michael K said...: nga said...

"Such anti woman sentiment, what if 3/4 of these jurors are conservative women?"

You mean like General Helms ?; 6/20/13, 3:52 PM
KCFleming said...: Isn't there a tree in Florida they can string Z up in?

Strange fruit to calm the raging racists,.

I mean, the Democrats have a good history of that. They probably still have the manuals.; 6/20/13, 3:54 PM
edutcher said...: Chip Ahoy said...

The original iris was named after a guy with a beard named Iris, but then the guy shaved his beard off and went with a soul patch and the Dutch rededicated it to Elizabeth Taylor on account of her purple eyes when she was all sexed up. 100% of trufax

Nicely done, sir.; 6/20/13, 4:06 PM
garage mahal said...: Stock market in crapper.

The markets are spooked that the Senate won't pass the House abortion bill.; 6/20/13, 4:13 PM
Icepick said...: Isn't there a tree in Florida they can string Z up in?

No, it got burned down last year. We don't have any other trees tall enough.

That's why we keep Old Sparky, though.; 6/20/13, 4:16 PM
Icepick said...: I mean, if Old Sparky was good enough for Ted, it'll be good enough for George.

Although really, that ain't happening, as George is only getting charged with 2nd Degree Murder. Even the special prosecutor appointed by the (Republican!) governor to put George behind bars couldn't reach that far.; 6/20/13, 4:18 PM
Beach Brutus said...: Competing Assumptions:

State: Women at nurturers - will feel sorry for Trayvon even if George somewhat justified in defending himself -- will compromise from Second Degree and convict of Manslaughter -- which is fine with State.

Defense: White Women insecurity - fear attack by black hoodlum -- will acquit when violence of Trayvon's actions are shown.; 6/20/13, 4:28 PM
James said...: Why the assumption that Zimmerman wouldn't get a fair hearing by an all-female jury? Both sides got the same number of peremptory challenges so one has to assume that the jury composition is exactly what they wanted. Perhaps women may even be sympathetic to Zimmerman.

@Icepick; I'm black and I've never once thought about rioting over anything.; 6/20/13, 4:29 PM
Crunchy Frog said...: All woman jury selected for Zimmerman trial. Poor George.

Dude's toast. Best he can hope for is if one of them has ever been burglarized. Maybe he can squeeze a hung jury out of it.; 6/20/13, 4:31 PM
bagoh20 said...: Most women really are unequipped to decide this case. A lot of it depends on the mindset of men in confrontation, and how we understand someone like Trayvon specifically as a threat and not a child. I think you need to understand what it's like to be in a fist fight and get punched in the face repeatedly, and have someone specifically trying to knock you out.
Then you understand why you must do absolutely anything you can to stop them, and even much more so if you are armed.; 6/20/13, 4:36 PM
Crunchy Frog said...: The jury pool that can stand to be sequestered for weeks (if not months) has got to be shallow indeed.

At least we won't have 4 months of DNA to prove that Trayvon got blood.; 6/20/13, 4:38 PM
bagoh20 said...: "The markets are spooked that the Senate won't pass the House abortion bill."

I'm sure you jest, but unfortunately for you, we aren't really sure.; 6/20/13, 4:38 PM
KCFleming said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/20/13, 4:43 PM
bagoh20 said...: It's impossible to just tell someone what it's like to be punched in the face to the verge of unconsciousness. You really have to try it. No lawyer is that good. Most women have never been there, and it's the centerpiece of this trail.

Imagine trying to make someone who has never felt it understand what it's like to be drowning, the panic, the desperation.; 6/20/13, 4:43 PM
KCFleming said...: If some of the women posting here were on the jury, Z would be okay.

But I'll bet they are Obamaphile Julias to a one, and believe only the State can fight back, even if attacked.

Pretty soon Dread Justice Roberts will find that the Constitution forbids self-defense anyway.; 6/20/13, 4:43 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The fed stopped printing money for 2 seconds and reality set in.; 6/20/13, 4:47 PM
ricpic said...: Rand Paul will do a reverse filibuster half-gainer into the Senate pool and splash all over the gang of ate horror amnesty sham type bill because....

When it's apple blossom time
In Orange, New Jersey,
We'll make a peach
Out of a pear!; 6/20/13, 4:53 PM
Icepick said...: The fed stopped printing money for 2 seconds and reality set in.

No, the Fed THREATENED to stop printing money for two seconds, and the markets shat themselves.

James, most black people haven't rioted. SO what? The agitators weren't happy with how the case was handled, started some rallies, and convinced the governor that a special prosecutor HAD to be appointed. So we've got people thinking of LA riots and Liberty City riots, all helped along by the Al Sharptons and Barack Obamas of the world.

And thus, this jury would be insane to not convict.; 6/20/13, 4:57 PM
bagoh20 said...: "The fed stopped printing money for 2 seconds and reality set in."

Of course many of us have been saying along that the market was entirely fueled by the Fed printing press and no other returns anywhere else, but nnnooooooo, it had to be the economic policies of a community organizer despite no jobs and no GDP growth at all, and if not for the energy boom that Obama is against, we would be in recession.; 6/20/13, 5:07 PM
paminwi said...: Just received a phone call from Obama saying that Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin have 5000 signatures on a petition to repeal Obamacare. So, "we progressives" have to get 10000 signatures to offset their petition. The progressives are still using Palin and Huckabee to try to get their base motivated? Are their supporters so stupid that they think Palin and Huckabee are leading the charge against Obamacare? Hasn't OFA noticed the House has voted 37 times to repeal Obamacare?; 6/20/13, 5:13 PM
Icepick said...: Are their supporters so stupid that they think Palin and Huckabee are leading the charge against Obamacare? Hasn't OFA noticed the House has voted 37 times to repeal Obamacare?

Come on, man. No one gets a boner over Boehner.; 6/20/13, 5:21 PM
bagoh20 said...: "Come on, man. No one gets a boner over Boehner."

Imagine the sexy tan lines, and you will.; 6/20/13, 5:29 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Good news. Obama promise? Kept.

Booger.; 6/20/13, 5:38 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: ...it had to be the economic policies of a community organizer despite no jobs and no GDP growth at all, and if not for the energy boom that Obama is against, we would be in recession.

I'm surprised Obama hasn't declared war against North Dakota.; 6/20/13, 5:43 PM
edutcher said...: garage mahal said...

Stock market in crapper.

The markets are spooked that the Senate won't pass the House abortion bill.

No, the markets are scared all those "pretend" scandals are going to bring down the entire government.

bagoh20 said...

Most women really are unequipped to decide this case.

That should get a response this evening.; 6/20/13, 5:49 PM
Saint Croix said...: Apparently five white and one Hispanic. It could be worse.

Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!

A jury had been 12 people for at least 700 years! But the fucking Supreme Court decided that was outdated. So make a jury any number you want.

It's absolutely retarded. It completely destroys the meaning of the word "jury."

In 1970 the Supreme Court upheld a 6-person jury. So of course another state wanted to drop it to 5. And then 4, 3, 2, and then no jury at all! So the Supreme Court was forced to revisit its idiotic opinion and say, oops.

The reason for 12, by the way, was because Jesus had 12 disciples. (Some people theorize this is why 13 is considered an unlucky number). So the idea was that if we respect God and have 12 people on the jury, finding consensus, maybe our verdict will be just.

You can ignore that religious history if you want. But of course the size of a jury has a very important secular point. If you increase the number of jurors, you make convictions harder, and if you decrease the size of the jury, you make convictions easier.

The state wants convictions to be as easy as possible.

Similarly, the idea that juries had to be unanimous was also an ancient rule. The Supreme Court, like many judges, are actively hostile to juries and want to sabotage the institution. So no unanimous requirement, and no 12-person requirement. Our unelected branch has lied in blatantly dishonest fashion about what a "jury" is. (Similar to what they would do with the word "person" a few years later).; 6/20/13, 6:04 PM
chickelit said...: A jury had been 12 people for at least 700 years! But the fucking Supreme Court decided that was outdated. So make a jury any number you want.

Wasn't there some numb nuts on here the other day saying how his millenial-aged son didn't want to register to vote because it meant jury duty? I held my tongue that day. Every able-bodied person should do jury duty at least once.; 6/20/13, 6:11 PM
MadisonMan said...: Every able-bodied person should do jury duty at least once.

Not the least because it's very very interesting to see how the system works.; 6/20/13, 6:14 PM
chickelit said...: State: Women at nurturers - will feel sorry for Trayvon even if George somewhat justified in defending himself -- will compromise from Second Degree and convict of Manslaughter -- which is fine with State.

Some of them are susceptible to erotic fantasies too--like the types who got aroused by the "hot" Boston bomber. The defense will be sure to play up Trayvon's teenaged "looks like my son would look like" boyish good looks even though he morphed into a thug.; 6/20/13, 6:22 PM
chickelit said...: You're right Madison Man. And I shouldn't have said "able bodied." I meant able-minded.; 6/20/13, 6:23 PM
KCFleming said...: Dread Justice Roberts will find the right against self-defense on the penumbra of the underpants of the Constitution.; 6/20/13, 6:25 PM
edutcher said...: Saint Croix said...

The reason for 12, by the way, was because Jesus had 12 disciples. (Some people theorize this is why 13 is considered an unlucky number).

Judas was the 13th man at the Last Supper, although the superstition goes back to Hamurrabi.

PS Another reason the markets are down is that the Red Chinese economy is starting to belch.

What happens when they say, "AL-ka Seltzer! AL-ka Seltzer!"?; 6/20/13, 6:25 PM
Saint Croix said...: I like Roberts, but "Dread Justice Roberts" is still funny.; 6/20/13, 6:43 PM
Saint Croix said...: Judas was the 13th man at the Last Supper, although the superstition goes back to Hamurrabi.

That's interesting! Maybe 7 is lucky because Jesus is #7?

(Leonardo did not put Judas at #13, by the way).

Here's some more about unlucky 13.

It's theorized that Friday the 13th is considered unlucky because Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

Of course, Christians actually call it Good Friday, so if that's the basis for the superstition, it's not actually unlucky at all!; 6/20/13, 7:00 PM
Unknown said...: Pogo said...

Dread Justice Roberts will find the right against self-defense on the penumbra of the underpants of the Constitution.

This is brilliant. I plan to steal it.; 6/20/13, 7:13 PM
edutcher said...: Saint Croix said...

Judas was the 13th man at the Last Supper, although the superstition goes back to Hamurrabi.

That's interesting! Maybe 7 is lucky because Jesus is #7?

No, because it's Magnificent.; 6/20/13, 7:27 PM
edutcher said...: Saint Croix said...

It's theorized that Friday the 13th is considered unlucky because Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

Of course, Christians actually call it Good Friday, so if that's the basis for the superstition, it's not actually unlucky at all!

No, it was bad for him, but the Good is about what happens on Sunday.; 6/20/13, 7:37 PM
Saint Croix said...: A mother is charged with murder in the killing of her 4-month-old baby. Her baby was raped and killed by her boyfriend. And she wanted it to happen. Horrific. Unspeakable.

No word from the Prince of Death at Princeton. (And hooray to the NYT for a bit of liberal pushback--that is a brilliant choice of a journalist to interview Singer)

There have always been horrific crimes, of course. But it's a special kind of horror when our authorities are leading the way.; 6/20/13, 8:37 PM
edutcher said...: Especially if they turn out to be the gang who can't shoot straight.

And these are the guys who want AR-15s.

The irony is (Godwin Alert) didn't have the intelligentsia of the country in lockstep with him; ours do.; 6/20/13, 8:50 PM
cf said...: Oh, thank you so much, dear Ann, sorry I have been busy all day and missed it earlier.

Now what was it I wanted to whine about? I can't remember the couple for today, but I noted down the one from the other day, just to await a cafe to place it, haha. . . Let me see . . .

Oh yes, here it is. (061913, 6:21 pm)
The National Journal story of Obama's European vacation has his quote:

"We cannot dictate the pace of change in places like the Arab world, but we must reject the excuse that we can do nothing to support it"

Really, what a gasbag sentence, all knotted around to overinflate it and sound important, but is it more than fussy flatulence?

Blecch.

[please do keep a steady supply of lovely art Cafes going, how else can we gab?]; 6/20/13, 9:26 PM
Unknown said...: Saint Croix
Thank you for that link. Harriet McBryde Johnson is brilliant. Singer comes across as a complete ass even as she gives him every benefit of the doubt.
Human dignity is awe inspiring.; 6/21/13, 12:50 AM
Anonymous said...: I watched the first couple Sopranos episodes tonight and remembered one big reason I find it hard to agree the Sopranos are the greatest TV show -- as mesmerizing as the show can be with all its layers of detail, the show is so dark, yet realistic, that I don't enjoy it and I'm left in a funk that takes a while to dissipate.

I don't think it's the job of art to inspire or cheer up, but I do find it hard to appreciate work that is essentially a long drawn-out tour of hell with no redemption, as The Sopranos is.; 6/21/13, 1:34 AM