Althouse: At the Althouse Cafe...

February 9, 2017

At the Althouse Cafe...

... no picture. It's wintery and not photogenic. But you can talk about whatever you want.

And consider shopping through The Althouse Amazon Portal.

66 comments:

Big Mike said...: We are living in interesting times.; 2/9/17, 8:06 PM
sane_voter said...: A gray, wintry photo is always appreciated for those of us living in semi-tropical environs.; 2/9/17, 8:17 PM
Unknown said...: Who knew refugees had constitutional rights before they ever made it here?
That must be one of the penumbras; 2/9/17, 8:24 PM
Unknown said...: eagerly waiting for the next post about lsd. :); 2/9/17, 8:25 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Why? Looking to unscrew your mind?; 2/9/17, 8:28 PM
traditionalguy said...: Tomorrow is Friday, another weekend. President's Day Weekend cometh next. I wonder when DaTrump gets any time off? I read he plans to play golf with Japan's PM ,Abe on the same team in a match play foursome.

Maybe Abe can give him some advice on on handling a crazy opposition party.; 2/9/17, 8:29 PM
rehajm said...: Thundersnow today. Somewhere Cantore is unhinged; 2/9/17, 8:32 PM
AlanKH said...: That's not lime in the coconut?

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/07/us/marijuana-camouflaged-limes-trnd/; 2/9/17, 8:32 PM
David Baker said...: "The pen is mightier than the sword," goes the proverb.

I tend to agree, but only in the hands of a capable writer. I mention this because I have the feeling that Barron Trump is writing his father's tweets. As evidence, I point to the overuse of the exclamation point, something children often do.; 2/9/17, 8:46 PM
Tank said...: @Baker

You'll know he's growing up when he starts to use semicolons.; 2/9/17, 8:58 PM
cf said...: The tip-toe tender talk of the Obama years by NPR and NYT is so over it gives me whiplash.

Can you remember the oh-so-careful phrasing that our media Brahmans used to describe those who throw gay men over the roof and butcher recalcitrant women?

It must no longer be useful. It is time to incite. So the most careless shorthand possible is what will be trumpeted: "muslim ban". shameless. intentionally dishonest. foul.; 2/9/17, 9:02 PM
Trumpit said...: I have a suggestion for an SNL skit: Do a Wizard of Oz parody with the Trump administration as the cast of characters. Who should play Dorothy? Kelly Anne or Ivanka? Should Trump be the Tinman because he is lacking a heart and he wields a proverbial axe with his pen and executive orders? Who will Bannon be?: The Wicked Witch of the West Wing? Who will play the Wizard of Oz? Who will play the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow? Glenda the Good Witch?: Melania? The creative writers on SNL would have a field day.

I would also like to bring up something I saw today on Youtube:

"Life in Trump’s America Just Got Worse for Your Pet | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann"

He talks about the importance of dogs and cats in our lives and that Trump may never have had a pet to soften his heart. But the thrust of his talk are legal actions that the Trump administration has taken that may harm our pets' health to benefit the pet food industry and related big businesses. You can search for the GQ segment if you so desire. Thank you.; 2/9/17, 9:20 PM
madAsHell said...: I went to Lazlo's movie, but he failed to leave a ticket with the bartender.

"Do you know a guy named Lazlo?"
"Hmmm.....sounds familiar?"
"Did he leave a ticket for his movie?"

The bartender went back, and consulted the ledger, clipboard next to the cash register. He consulted the other bartender.

"Nope, I've got nothing for you"

A blue and white Top IPA draft handle is the last handle on the right. A pint is $4.

I'm sure I'll get over it soon.; 2/9/17, 9:25 PM
Chuck said...: Trump Tweets; "SEE YOU IN COURT."

Lawrence O'Donnell, once the recipient of a Trump libel-lawsuit threat, re-Tweets; "We saw you in court. You lost. Get used to it."

https://twitter.com/Lawrence/status/829839714345746436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw; 2/9/17, 9:25 PM
Fabi said...: Chuck loves him some MSNBC host!

Unexpectedly.; 2/9/17, 9:33 PM
Jupiter said...: Trumpit said...

"But the thrust of his talk are legal actions that the Trump administration has taken that may harm our pets' health to benefit the pet food industry and related big businesses."

He'll get your little dog, too!; 2/9/17, 9:50 PM
Ken B said...: I want you to reply to Kantorovich over at Volokh, who makes a strong case against the 9th circuit.; 2/9/17, 9:50 PM
Big Mike said...: I really enjoyed this sendup of the Washington Post fact checker.; 2/9/17, 9:53 PM
Original Mike said...: "You can search for the GQ segment if you so desire."

To watch Keith Olbermann on how Trump is going to kill our pets? Yeah, riiiight.; 2/9/17, 9:56 PM
Jon Ericson said...: He'll get your little dog, too!

Arf! Said sandy.; 2/9/17, 10:10 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Sandy.
dammitgrr.; 2/9/17, 10:11 PM
pacwest said...: A common sense revolution led by a madman.; 2/9/17, 10:19 PM
Jon Ericson said...: google "little orphan Annie"
Check that stickpin!
Check that ਸਿੱਖ !!!eleventy!!!111!!!
Every girl go for a sharp dressed man.; 2/9/17, 10:20 PM
Curtiss said...: "eagerly waiting for the next post about lsd. :)"

Back in the 80's I went to one of Timothy Leary's lectures. It was part of his stand-up philosopher tour. It was at a small bar in Anchorage, Alaska. He just sat there on a stool and rambled on about all the loony things that came to mind. I don't remember a thing he said.; 2/9/17, 10:20 PM
Big Mike said...: @Althouse, before I sign off for the night. Don't you have any old shots you could have posted? You don't always have to put up something you took recently as part of a café post. Surely there's something very good that lost out to something better.; 2/9/17, 10:21 PM
Etienne said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/9/17, 10:32 PM
harkin said...: Find some shots of the spillway failure at Oroville Dam in CA over the past couple days. Spectacular.

No one tell Bill Nye, but his "permanent drought" is over.; 2/9/17, 10:33 PM
David Begley said...: WI defeats NE in OT.

Good game.; 2/9/17, 10:35 PM
Etienne said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/9/17, 10:37 PM
Chuck said...: Fabi said...
Chuck loves him some MSNBC host!

I don't "love" MSNBC or Lawrence O'Donnell.

I do love takedowns of trash-talkers who can't back themselves up on the record.; 2/9/17, 10:37 PM
Etienne said...: I think the major problem with Trump, is that he doesn't have a pet.

Personally, I wouldn't get a dog, but a nice pussy, I mean cat (une chatte), would maybe calm him down. He could grab the pussy and pet it, and maybe even pop a few tick-tacks and relax.

Maybe call it Nana.; 2/9/17, 10:43 PM
Big Mike said...: @harryo, Cats are not good pets ... and that goes double for when my son comes over with his pet parrot.

The bird is quite bright. He thought a dog was menacing him so he squawked out "Sit! Right here!" And the dog sat.; 2/9/17, 10:51 PM
FullMoon said...: Instapundit says:

DEMOCRAT PRIVILEGE: Dem Who Lied About Vietnam Service Calls for Extreme Vetting of Gorsuch.

Blumenthal’s own credibility has been called into question since he entered public life. When Blumenthal first ran for the Senate in 2010, the New York Times revealed that he had lied for years about fighting in the Vietnam War. Blumenthal repeatedly touted his supposed combat experience in speeches to veterans groups and civic organizations, saying he had “served in Vietnam.”

However, a review of his military records revealed that he procured five deferments from the military before joining the Marine Reserve. During the war he traveled as far west as Washington, where he helped the Toys for Tots program, but never saw actual combat.

Yet the Dem-operative press doesn’t make a big deal of this. Likewise Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin, who lied about flying combat missions in Vietnam but somehow always got a pass.; 2/9/17, 11:36 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Here's a nice looking boy.

link; 2/10/17, 12:13 AM
Chuck said...: Full Moon:

You fucking piece of shit. It is so rich, for somebody like Trump to be talking about Richard Blumenthal's service with the Marine Corps reserves.

Blumenthal time in the Marine reserves: 6 years.
Trump time in any military service: 0 years.

This is only coming back into the news now, because Trump is using it to deflect attention from his lie that Blumenthal misrepresented the words of Judge Neil Gorsuch in relation to Trump's comments about the federal judiciary.

And I want Trump to burn, for that lie. It will absolutely happen. This one won't go away, because soon Judge Gorsuch is going to be testifying under oath in front of Blumenthal and the rest of the Senate Judiciary Committee. And this subject will come up, and Gorsuch will not lie.; 2/10/17, 12:37 AM
Laslo Spatula said...: madAsHell said...
"I went to Lazlo's movie, but he failed to leave a ticket with the bartender."

Shit! I DID leave it with the main bartender, told him a guy would come in asking for it (MAH, he set it by the phone.

I'm truly sorry that didn't work out -- I was really hoping to get your opinion -- main reason I'm even looking online right now....

I am Laslo.; 2/10/17, 1:23 AM
jaydub said...: Chuck: "Full Moon: You fucking piece of shit. It is so rich, for somebody like Trump to be talking about Richard Blumenthal's service with the Marine Corps reserves."

Er, Chuck, try to keep up. It wasn't Trump, it was a newspaper which was responding to the following statement from Blumenthal to the WSJ: "It is important that every aspect of his (Gorsuch') background be critically and closely scrutinized." The specific thing that our war hero, Richard, was referring to was Gorsuch's claim that he did some pro-bono legal work while at Harvard. Even the NYT in 2010 pointed out that Blumenthal's own credibility had been questioned because of his false claims of Vietnam service to veterans' groups when running for the Senate. Now, I don't know if Gorsuch padded his resume or not, but Blumenthal has since admitted he lied about his service.

BTW, I did two combat tours in Vietnam. Blumenthal's "stolen valor" pretense really pisses off people like me. He's the fucking piece of shit here; not to mention the hypocrite. Why are you defending him?; 2/10/17, 3:30 AM
Big Mike said...: @jaydub, Chuck defends that worthless PoS Blumenthal because he's a moby, it was late, he was tired, and he foolishly let his mask slip. People like me, who really are lifelong Republicans can easily spot that he's faking his back story. The tell here is that he assumes "lifelong Republican" = country club Republican, which it never has.

Like a lot of other regulars on Althouse I am pretty certain that Chuck is a paid shill. For me the tell is the speed with which he comes up with very obscure factoids, generally in defense of Democrats. Hell, I'm retired and I don't have the time to nudge out stuff like he comes up with. Suggests he's being supplied with research from a larger staff of people.

I'm a Vietnam Era vet myself, jaydub, though I fortunately spent my two years on this side of the Pacific. You don't have to tell me how bad it was -- I met plenty of folks who had seen combat. wish I could shake your hand.; 2/10/17, 5:17 AM
Humperdink said...: Why is Chuck defending Blumenthal? Because Blumenthal is a lifelong Republican, just like Chuck.; 2/10/17, 5:17 AM
Unknown said...: Curtiss said...
"eagerly waiting for the next post about lsd. :)"

Back in the 80's I went to one of Timothy Leary's lectures. It was part of his stand-up philosopher tour. It was at a small bar in Anchorage, Alaska. He just sat there on a stool and rambled on about all the loony things that came to mind. I don't remember a thing he said.

2/9/17, 10:20 PM

i've seen some video of this.; 2/10/17, 5:24 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Don't you have any old shots you could have posted? You don't always have to put up something you took recently as part of a café post. Surely there's something very good that lost out to something better."

As the lack of an accent on the e in café indicates, I was posting from my iPad. That made it hard to put up a picture.

I have been going back and getting old photos to do cafés in the last month, but it takes some searching, because I like to get something from the same season. I just wasn't up for doing it last night, given the iPad limitations.

But thanks for the encouragement.; 2/10/17, 6:35 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "A gray, wintry photo is always appreciated for those of us living in semi-tropical environs."

Photos are about light and even a gray, wintry scene needs something good about the light to be photographable.; 2/10/17, 6:36 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: West coast college basketball is back!

Gonzaga (Wash) is No. 1 (Go Zags!)

No. 11 UCLA beat No. 5 Oregon in a terrific, thrilling game last night.

Arizona is Top 10 - very young and dangerous.

And tiny, little St. Marys in Orinda, CA (10 mins east of Berkeley over the hills) is No. 21.

Now, If only Cal and Stanford could pull their weight...,; 2/10/17, 6:44 AM
rhhardin said...: Blowing snow over cornfields would make a nice picture, the clouds that get picked up off the ground and moved someplace else.; 2/10/17, 6:45 AM
rhhardin said...: The snow is grey because the autoexposure tries to make the snow the standard. Set the autoexposure level a few shades bright so that the snow comes out white, leaving whatever else there is looking normal.; 2/10/17, 6:47 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Thanks for the photo advice, rh.; 2/10/17, 7:09 AM
Meade said...: Snow blown grey cornfield
Picking clouds up off the ground
Moving someplace else; 2/10/17, 7:13 AM
Meade said...: Autoexposed snow
Fifty shades of grey too dull
Needs abnormal tweak; 2/10/17, 7:17 AM
Jason said...: Chuck, you piece of shit.

Blumenthal lied about his service. Trump didn't. There is no comparison between the two. Blumenthal stolen valor -used for political purposes, and his lies made directly to the teeth of VFW members, are regarded as one of the lowest, scummiest things you can do. Blumenthal is a Blue Falcon of the worst kind in this community and something like that from a senator will not be forgotten.

Far worse than getting a medical deferment, which is no sin.

For what it's worth, I'm a combat veteran, too.; 2/10/17, 7:30 AM
Jaq said...: I think I figured out why Eisenhower ate all that celery, against his doctor's advice. I was watching a movie from the fifties and they mentioned that guys who starred in blue movies, as they called them,ate a lot of celery, I guess to increase turgor.; 2/10/17, 7:43 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "God, you are so limited. In your Western thinking."

Says Meade to me when I express a need for an entity to be doing the picking up and say it can't be the cornfield.; 2/10/17, 7:44 AM
Jaq said...: It would also probably explain his wife's reaction.; 2/10/17, 7:45 AM
rhhardin said...: The camera might even have a menu item for snow scenes.; 2/10/17, 7:55 AM
Hagar said...: Is it correct that the Circuit Court decision against Trump's EO seems somewhat based on what the judges thought might be in Trump's mind to do next?; 2/10/17, 8:01 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Last week I came into the open thread way too late to participate. I've been mulling over the "I seek clarity of thought" statement and the revelation that Althouse is shunned by Madisonians. It's an interesting mission statement, one I relate too well in harmony with my appreciation of E B White (Elements of Style) and Dennis Prager's axiom ("I prefer clarity over agreement").

When the blogosphere was young and shiny I used to read Andrew Sullivan, The Bleat and Captains Quarters, which expanded to BOTW and Instapundit after 9/11. Can't recall which one pointed Althouse's way but I got here early and never left. We've had some crazy funny characters here. It's sad that her neighbors try to label and shun Althouse but I can explain their thinking. The fact that she allows open debate without culling conservatives or shaming them for being conservative is all it takes to be labeled a right winger. Her philosophy and voting record and tolerance don't matter. Because Althouse has not censored us righties it makes her an enemy of the Left.

It's that simple.; 2/10/17, 8:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Big Mike: @jaydub, Chuck defends that worthless PoS Blumenthal because he's a moby, it was late, he was tired, and he foolishly let his mask slip. People like me, who really are lifelong Republicans can easily spot that he's faking his back story. The tell here is that he assumes "lifelong Republican" = country club Republican, which it never has.

Like a lot of other regulars on Althouse I am pretty certain that Chuck is a paid shill.

I'm still going with the "Chuck is deeply invested, emotionally and maybe professionally, in GOPe cuckservatism, and has been driven round the bend by Trump smashing up that comfy little ideological gig" theory. His mincing cuckservatism is just too true-to-form, his man-crush sycophancy toward GOPe leaders too note-perfect, for him to be a liberal moby.

Many name-brand GOPe-ers and neo-cons were (and are) happy to slag off the Trump-voting demographic to win brownie points from the MSM, so it's not as if this kind of behavior is unusual or unprecedented.

The only thing that doesn't ring quite true is his claim to have voted for Trump, (though I don't dismiss that out of hand). If he's a moby, he's a pretty good one, far better than average.

Also, I don't think Chuck is quite right in the head. IME mobies always play it sane.; 2/10/17, 8:33 AM
FullMoon said...: Chuck said...

Full Moon:

You fucking piece of shit. It is so rich, for somebody like Trump to be talking about Richard Blumenthal's service with the Marine Corps reserves.

Blumenthal time in the Marine reserves: 6 years.
Trump time in any military service: 0 years.

This is only coming back into the news now, because Trump is using it to deflect attention from his lie that Blumenthal misrepresented the words of Judge Neil Gorsuch in relation to Trump's comments about the federal judiciary.

And I want Trump to burn, for that lie. It will absolutely happen. This one won't go away, because soon Judge Gorsuch is going to be testifying under oath in front of Blumenthal and the rest of the Senate Judiciary Committee. And this subject will come up, and Gorsuch will not lie.

Not much imagination in the personal insult, Chuckles. The amazing thing to normal Americans is that assholes like Bluementhal get away with this stuff. Far worse than Hillary getting away with her Bosnia sniper fire lie. See, Chuck, while you were out there figuratively or literally spitting on returning vets, many Americans were mourning the loss in the war of a friend or relative. Cocksuckers like Blumenthal should hide their face in shame, forever. Defenders of cocksuckers like Blumenthal are just as despicable.; 2/10/17, 8:39 AM
ndspinelli said...: Depression is a common problem after retirement. A good exercise regimen is a natural antidote to depression.; 2/10/17, 8:40 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Jason said...
Chuck, you piece of shit.

Blumenthal lied about his service. Trump didn't. There is no comparison between the two. Blumenthal stolen valor -used for political purposes, and his lies made directly to the teeth of VFW members, are regarded as one of the lowest, scummiest things you can do. Blumenthal is a Blue Falcon of the worst kind in this community and something like that from a senator will not be forgotten.

Far worse than getting a medical deferment, which is no sin.

For what it's worth, I'm a combat veteran, too.

2/10/17, 7:30 AM

Any real Republican and most decent Democrats would gawk at the inversion of Chuck's values on this point.; 2/10/17, 9:25 AM
Chuck said...: See, Chuck, while you were out there figuratively or literally spitting on returning vets, many Americans were mourning the loss in the war of a friend or relative.

wtf? When did I ever take such a position on the Vietnam war? When did I ever "figuratively or literally spit on returning vets"?

Never, is that answer. You are -- as I have already pointed out -- full of shit. I was a teenager throughout the Vietnam escalation. Trump, however, wasn't. Trump dodged that draft.

But that's not event the point.

The point is that we are going to find out very soon that Judge Gorsuch really did use the words "disheartening" and "dispiriting" in regard to Trump's own choice of words on the federal judiciary. We're going to find out, that Senator Blumenthal was entirely correct in reporting that fact, and that Trump was lying when he claimed that Blumenthal misrepresented it.; 2/10/17, 9:28 AM
rhhardin said...: "A bee is a flying penis."

Gresham Lecture.; 2/10/17, 10:09 AM
Robert Cook said...: "The amazing thing to normal Americans...."

Who are they?; 2/10/17, 10:19 AM
Etienne said...: Meade said...Picking clouds up off the ground

Just had a flashback to the song "pants on the ground"; 2/10/17, 10:36 AM
Jason said...: Oh, dear. A grown man found another grown man's words "disheartening."

A regular constitutional crisis!; 2/10/17, 10:43 AM
FullMoon said...: Chuck said...

Full Moon:

You fucking piece of shit. It is so rich, for somebody like Trump to be talking about Richard Blumenthal's service with the Marine Corps reserves.

Blumenthal time in the Marine reserves: 6 years.
Trump time in any military service: 0 years.

Umm, no Chuck. The point is you clebrate the lying cocksucker Blumenthat, whose service was not watching friends die, firefights with viet cong, terrified most of the time. His service was standing in some building, collecting toys for tots.
I do not begrudge him five deferments. I do find it sickening that he pretended to be a warrior Anyone who excuses him for that is almost as bad as him. So, you are still a cocksucker for defending him.

As for Trumps lie being exposed, then what happens?; 2/10/17, 11:31 AM
FullMoon said...: Robert Cook said...

"The amazing thing to normal Americans...."

Who are they?

They are the Americans who find despicable someone who lies in order to equate himself with the fear, courage, loss, suffering of combat veterans while he spent his time sorting out donated toys for tots.; 2/10/17, 11:38 AM