July 23, 2017

At the Water Lily Café...

P1140073

... you can talk all night.

And consider doing some shopping through The Althouse Amazon Portal.

93 comments:

Big Mike said...

Monet did it better 😉

David Begley said...

Quite the shot. One of Althouse's best.

Big Mike said...

Back in our first house I dug a couple lily ponds in the back yard for the wife. Yellow lilies are beautiful, but most lilies start to close up around 5:00 pm. You need to add night-blooming tropicals if you want to see open lilies when you get home from work.

Fernandinande said...

The evolution of the Strandbeest
Strangely organic-looking wind-powered walking machines created by a physicist/sculptor.

H.T.

Ralph L said...

Pac-Man did it worse.

Michael K said...

Monsoon season in Tucson. We could have water lilies if we wanted them,

buwaya said...

Re Strandbeest;
A good example of mechanical art; there was quite a bit of that, not quite to that level, on Ocean Beach, Pacifica and Half Moon Bay decades ago, that went along with creative bonfires, a movement that evolved into Burning Man, and seems to have ended there. You will see some at Maker Faire but its lost heart I think.

Fabi said...

Lovely photo.

Big Mike said...

I see that the authorities have discovered some smashed hard drives in the garage of a house owned by Debbie Wasserman-Schultz's former IT guy. Wonder how smashed up they are? And whether, since it's Democrat data, they really, truly want to try to recover anything.

Laslo Spatula said...

buwaya said...
Re Strandbeest; "A good example of mechanical art; there was quite a bit of that, not quite to that level, on Ocean Beach, Pacifica and Half Moon Bay decades ago..."

Emeryville mudflat sculptures

Remember being in the back seat as the family drove south to San Francisco to visit my grandparents.

Would ask my Dad when was the Red Baron going to come.

I am Laslo.

Gahrie said...

Yet another splooge stooge has been found!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/07/23/texas-man-ordered-to-pay-65g-in-child-support-for-kid-that-isnt-his.html

Laslo Spatula said...

True story about my Grandfather.

Twinkle-eyed Irish immigrant.

Was a kid when the family was visiting in Millbrae (south of SF). We were all at a restaurant on the main street when more and more people dining there gravitated over, drinks in hand, to listen to my grandfather's stories.

Keeping it short: my grandfather invited everyone in the restaurant up the hill a few blocks to my grandparents' house for drinks.

Practically everyone followed him up the hill, many already tipsy.

Party went well past my bedtime.

I am Laslo.


Laslo Spatula said...

Another song close to Harvey Keitel's heart.

They tried to tame you looks like they'll try again.

Wild Boys.

I am Laslo.

mockturtle said...

What a delightful photo! :-)

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Laslo, you complete me.

This is the gentle Laslo. For now.

Anyone know? - when using Althouse Amazon, the order goes direct to Amazon? - right? Amazon kicks back? No extra charge? Or is there an added "sin tax" for value added going through here?

My lady wants some "Date Lady" syrup. It's none of Laslo's business what for ...

mockturtle said...

Anyone know? - when using Althouse Amazon, the order goes direct to Amazon? - right? Amazon kicks back? No extra charge? Or is there an added "sin tax" for value added going through here?

No extra charge.

Chuck said...

Jonah Goldberg coins two new terms for Trumpland:

The "EverTrumpers," and (my favorite) "Cult 45."

http://www.nationalreview.com/g-file/449747/donald-trump-defenders-rationalizing-failure

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

ty

mockturtle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mockturtle said...

And even if Titus' dog were fucked by brown-skinned immigrants, he wouldn't brag about it.

FullMoon said...

Chuck said... [hush]​[hide comment]

Jonah Goldberg coins two new terms for Trumpland:

The "EverTrumpers," and (my favorite) "Cult 45."


Not bad. Did he vote for Trump on spite of hating him?

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

“Also, one doesn't insult Laslo on this blog.”

I had a feeling. Glad I obeyed it. Better to see it written. So thank you. Deduction has it that Althouse would have ... by now. Deduction is unreliable.

Laslo is the guy who goes beyond the ‘normal’ Shakespearean fools. Beyond the petty, little, cutesy, fools of the Bard.

It took me awhile to get it (and I still don’t). Laslo is the whole menagerie cooked into one. With weird sisters on the side. All different colors of the weird sisters.

Showing me all the stuff I don’t want to see. Crazy that.

Laslo, my personal exorcist.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

FUN.
Feste’s Unmentionable News.
Overhead.
Tarantino: “No, I don’t want the title, ‘The Hateful 8-Incher.”
Unknown Voice (heavy breathing): “I’ll make it myself.”

Fabi said...

Jonah did not vote for Trump. He's far too pure to tarnish himself like that. Here's a reminder of how pure he was in twisting all of his precious principles into pretzels to endorse Mitt Romney. Lulz

http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120207/OPINION02/702079997

Jessica said...

Never comment in the cafes, but that is a beautiful photograph.

Ralph L said...

Don't be so bossy, Jessica.

Gahrie said...

The real tragedy for the United States was the loss of Mitt Romney. He was exactly the man we needed at exactly the right time...but the MSM and identity politics defeated him.

Mitt Romney would have been a far far better president than Obama, Hillary or Trump.

Etienne said...

Pacman

Lucien said...

I figured it was about time for Nymeria to show up.

Fabi said...

I notice that identity politics and the MSM didn't defeat Trump. Mitt couldn't close the deal -- he has only himself to blame.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

If it’s sin to comment in a café, may we sing?

Is there truth to the pithy, “The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils”?

Are lilies what lilies sing?

“Outside the barracks,
by the corner light,
I'll always stand and wait for you at night
We will create a world for two”

Gahrie said...

I notice that identity politics and the MSM didn't defeat Trump.

Yet almost everyone expected them to. They nearly did. They would have anyone else. Note...I support Trump...during the election because I wanted to see Washington D.C. burn, since he took office because he has actually accomplished something, unlike the rest of the Republicans.

Mitt couldn't close the deal -- he has only himself to blame.

In a fair fight, he would have won. The problem was, he insisted on fighting fairly when his foes refused. Trump doesn't believe in fair fights...he believes in winning.

Narayanan said...

If a man enters the arena ill prepared for the contest - I would say it is his major flaw and not just mistake.

Laslo Spatula said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laslo Spatula said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laslo Spatula said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bad Lieutenant said...

Laslo Spatula said...
Meg Blynnt, Internet Blog Stalker...


Oh shit Laslo, and there I was getting ready to come to your defense. Tiptoeing quietly away...will observe from safe distance...punch it, Bishop!

Fabi said...

Thanks for the clarification, Gahrie.

Jon Ericson said...

@ Laslo Spatula:
Wow.
Just wow.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Jon Ericson said...
"@ Laslo Spatula:
Wow.
Just wow."

Feel like I just went through a human vivisection experiment in Vienna.

David Baker said...

Let's go to the video...

THE WEEK: "A witness who observed and filmed at least part of the death of an unarmed Australian woman, Justine Damond, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer has come forward, Minnesota state investigators told the Star Tribune. Any footage would be particularly valuable in this case because the officers involved, who were at Damond's house because she called 911 to report a suspected crime, were wearing body cameras that were not turned on during the incident." More…

______________

This made me think of Trump's ploy with James Comey. So, maybe they do, maybe they don't (have a recording of the entire incident). Good thing for Officer Noor that he's kept his mouth shut. But not so for his partner who gave investigators a four hour interview.

David Baker said...

But I was a bit surprised to see that The New York Times has the Minneapolis story front and center this morning, although it's essentially a rehash.

Sometimes I wonder what the hell they're (NYT) doing over there. I think they were cursed when they moved to their new location - after forcing out the previous owner via Eminent Domain. The ground in New York City and the buildings that occupy its parts are as conscious of land-grabbers and claim-jumpers as any Indian burial ground.

Frankly, I think the should move to Secaucus (NJ) where there are no Indian burial grounds (it's a swamp). And free themselves from the curse.

Unknown said...

That's what porn does, keeps your brain searching for bigger and bigger highs, lows actually. Laslo provides the porn with quirk. Titus provides the quirk with porn.

Unknown said...

Interesting how Trump chastises the Congress for disloyalty, for the Russia Sanctions Bill? To whom or to what are loyalty oaths sworn to, the President, or the Constitution? And just what, or who should they be protecting him from? The Russia investigation? Mueller?

"It's very sad that Republicans, even some that were carried over the line on my back, do very little to protect their President,"
Trump tweet

Meade said...

Gahrie said...
"Yet another splooge stooge has been found!"

Worse than a splooge stooge. The stooge apparently ignored a court summons. That is D-U-M-B stupid.

Gahrie said...

Worse than a splooge stooge. The stooge apparently ignored a court summons. That is D-U-M-B stupid.

Fuck the facts and justice...he didn't obey the lawyers!

Meade said...

Note he has a lawyer now. Now that he feels he needs the court to find facts and justice for him.

Laslo Spatula said...

Self-deleted previous comments.

Don't give a damn about the complainer.

Just don't want to cause Althouse problems she doesn't need.

I am Laslo.

Fernandinande said...

Meade said...
Worse than a splooge stooge. The stooge apparently ignored a court summons. That is D-U-M-B stupid.


That article doesn't say that; it implies he should've reacted to a garnishment.

A better article in the Houston Chron says he was never served and the garnishment he was supposed to react to was only $31, three times...small enough that he might not have noticed.

Note he has a lawyer now. Now that he feels he needs the court to find facts and justice for him.

Jeez, you're an asshole. With poor reading skills.

Gahrie said...

Apparently, stupid, lazy or uninformed people do not deserve justice...regardless of the facts.

Michael K said...

The real tragedy for the United States was the loss of Mitt Romney. He was exactly the man we needed at exactly the right time...but the MSM and identity politics defeated him.

Mitt Romney would have been a far far better president than Obama, Hillary or Trump.


I agree except that he would probably have faced the same onslaught of crap that Trump has to deal with.

Romney has what I called "Mormon nice" and I don't see him defending himself. Bush didn't either and was demonized.

Romney had a couple of chances in the debates to fight back and neglected those opportunities. One was the Russia comment. The other was the Candy Crowley moment.

There was a similar incident when Giuliani was on a TV show with Soledad O'Brien and she was interrupting Rudy. He stopped and said, "How many people am I debating here ?"

Gingrich did the same thing in the 2012 debates. He attacked a moderator who was too aggressive in intervening.

Paul Ryan sat there while Joe Biden looks like he was having a mental breakdown in the VP debate.

Instead of turning to him and saying, "Mr Vice President, Are you alright ? You seem to be having some sort of breakdown." he went on with his droning presentation like some high school kid giving a talk while someone in the audience has a seizure.

I have trouble watching Trump and wish he would cut down on the bluster but he fights.

I think, like Lincoln, "I cannot spare this man because he fights," when told that Grant had been drunk at Shiloh.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Find a pervy writing blog where you can collect personal details on all those you hunt..."

I guess I WAS right about the spiders.

As far as 'pony-tail girl': what the fuck does that have to do with YOUR life?

-L

Ralph L said...

The other was the Candy Crowley moment.
The MSM ignored her factual mistake and her unjustified interference, but is she still on TV? I dropped cable about that time, so I don't know.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Chuck, is that you?

tcrosse said...

This is like walking into the Last Chance Saloon while the bartender is cleaning up after last night's big free-for-all.

Meade said...

Sometimes you get on the Web and sometimes the web gets on you.

Michael K said...

I understand Crowley is "retired."

She is also a vegetarian and into "Transcendental Mediation."

I thought vegetarians were thin. You learn something every day.

James K said...

Apparently, stupid, lazy or uninformed people do not deserve justice...regardless of the facts.

I read that under Texas law, you are still responsible for child support payments mandated up until the time a paternity test absolves you. That seems ridiculous to me, but that is the law, apparently. So if "justice" means adhering to the law....

Ann Althouse said...

"I thought vegetarians were thin. You learn something every day."

Here are some great foods I enjoyed when I was a vegetarian: Mashed potatoes, pasta, potato chips, ice cream, granola, fluffernutters.

Gahrie said...

So if "justice" means adhering to the law....

If this was true there could never be an unjust law.

Ralph L said...

I thought vegetarians were thin
A college friend (a Copt named Aida) was vegetarian from birth and built like a light bulb.
A few years later she became a thin NYC lawyer.

Michael K said...

"built like a light bulb."

Where was the screw-in part ?

James K said...

If this was true there could never be an unjust law.

An unjust law would be one that was created by an extra-legal process. Again, I'm not defending the law, but in a constitutional republic the default position would be that we obey laws, and work to change those we don't like through the political process. Of course Democrats circumvent this by getting judges to create 'law' out of thin air.

Gahrie said...

but in a constitutional republic the default position would be that we obey laws, and work to change those we don't like through the political process.

This is fine as a political statement. But the American justice system is supposed to be just that, a system to dispense justice. This isn't a case of a man getting a woman pregnant and avoiding his responsibilities. How can it be just for a man to be forced to pay child support for a child he never knew about and wasn't his? How can it be just for a woman to receive $65,000 because she lied? That is the very definition of injustice.

Gahrie said...

An unjust law would be one that was created by an extra-legal process.

Slavery was not unjust?

Segregation and Jim Crow were not unjust?

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

"Find a pervy writing blog where you can collect personal details on all those you hunt..."

Help! I need somebody, Not just anybody.

Well, anybody might help answer. Laslo has been Pavlovianly rewarding my expectations despite differences between my predicted rewards and Laslo’s actual payoffs. Now I see a new - Laslo response – but, to what? - a post that no one wrote? - that does not exist? - why can’t I find this provocation about “a pervy blog’? - “collect personal details”? - “hunt”? - and the meaning of, “Don't give a damn about the complainer,” - say who?

Are these stimuli elsewhere? - on other threads?

Why am I seeing responses to stimuli that don’t - appear - to exist?

mockturtle said...

There were some unfortunate deletions which rendered many subsequent remarks inane.

Gahrie said...

Why am I seeing responses to stimuli that don’t - appear - to exist?

There is a long time troll that is sometimes responded to by other commentators, even though Althouse has stated many times that all of the trolls comments are going to be deleted so don't bother replying to them.

tcrosse said...

Why am I seeing responses to stimuli that don’t - appear - to exist?

The Bartender has swept up the broken glass and mopped up the spilled blood from last night's big brawl at the Last Chance Saloon.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

ty

James K said...

How can it be just for a man to be forced to pay child support for a child he never knew about and wasn't his?

I agree it's a bad law and it should be changed, and if there's some legal way for a judge to throw out the judgment that would be great. I'm just concerned about judges substituting their views of what's fair for the law. This is what liberal judges do all the time and we don't like it.

Gahrie said...

I'm just concerned about judges substituting their views of what's fair for the law.

Substitute 'just" for "fair" and I thought that that was their purpose.

"This is what liberal judges do all the time and we don't like it."

But it happens anyway. My only real beef is when they legislate from the bench.

In this case the judge, can't, or at least shouldn't, rule that this law is void. it's general applicability is fine. But the facts of this particular case, and the interests of justice, require him to dismiss the charges against this defendant.

madAsHell said...

True story about my Grandfather.

Wait......I didn't think Laslo had parents.

Laslo Spatula said...

"Hahahah, Laslo. Did you just find out that attorneys don't appreciate you pointing your porn ditties toward them?"

The only thing pornographic in the thread was a commenter insinuating that I was molested by a priest as a child. No big deal. Its's pixels.

My mocking comments involved the ravings of a paranoid schizophrenic character with invisible spiders crawling on his/her skin.

This was seen as a threat, although no threat was given or even implied. Which sort of confirms the paranoid schizophrenic thing.

Out of left field, somehow my 'pony-tail' girl character (not used in the thread)was also seen as a threat. Again: paranoid schizophrenic via Occam's Razor.

I removed the comments so that Althouse wouldn't keep getting bombarded with the commenter's subsequent threats to Althouse and doxxing.

If that is who you wish to stand with, please do.

I am Laslo.

Ann Althouse said...

"How can it be just for a man to be forced to pay child support for a child he never knew about and wasn't his?"

Aren't we talking about a default judgment?

Did he have notice and an opportunity to respond? What's unfair? When there's a lawsuit, you need to do something when the court is required to act by a suit having been filed within its jurisdiction. If you blow off the court, there will be a default judgment. How could the legal system operate without default judgments? It's the incentive to show up and make your case while everyone else is geared up and spending their resources on this one case. It's unfair to give the no-show defendant the chance to reopen everything.

So what are people talking about here? If the child wasn't his, he should have shown up and given evidence. Maybe he himself didn't know until later. He apparently didn't protest earlier when money was taken out of his paycheck, and that seemed to be evidence that he did accept being viewed as the father.

Later, he gets a DNA test? BTW how do I know what's really in the DNA test (for the father AND the child)?

Meade said...

"The Bartender has swept up the broken glass and mopped up the spilled blood from last night's big brawl at the Last Chance Saloon."

And the bucket of damn blood has already been poured out all around the perimeter of the vegetable garden. To deter the damn rabbits.

Now get off my damn lawn.

Ann Althouse said...

You know, an unscrupulous man might falsely claim to have DNA test results in order to make the mother give up a good claim.

David Baker said...

Apparently I ran into someone I didn't know this morning.

So I guess it's back to getting pummeled in the wilderness.

FullMoon said...

And the bucket of damn blood has already been poured out all around the perimeter of the vegetable garden. To deter the damn rabbits.

Now get off my damn lawn.

7/24/17, 11:24 AM


Pro tip.
If anybody advises that human urine around perimeter of front lawn will discourage feline deposits, don't waste your time-it is a lie.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Now get off my damn lawn..

Clint, I love you too much to leave now. Can’t we just invent stories? Tell lies? Would you still love me - in the morning - if I gave you back the keys to your Grand Torino?

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Gran Torino. Grand Torito. What difference does it make anymore?

Laslo Spatula said...

"And, sounds like she won whatever battle raged during the wee hours."

When she started posting threats and personal information about Althouse ("do you keep your windows locked?" + address, as an example) she certainly claimed Victory.

I am Laslo.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

... this is the end, this is the end, my friend ...

Getting outta here. Gotta be some Buddhist Temples slipping into rivers that I can watch.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Laslo, love.

“There is no slander in an allowed fool,
though he do nothing but rail.
Nor no railing in a known discreet man,
though he do nothing but reprove.

Trick is - to know where you are allowed.

FullMoon said...

Something happened in 2005. What was ain't exactally clear.

Unknown said...

Maybe some commenters should not disparage other commenters or their mothers in various pornographic stories or scenarios. Sometimes people go too far.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Sometimes people go too far.
7/24/17, 1:13 PM

You mean, like when Inga (ahem) got herself kicked off the blog?

If you blog for the lowest common denominator, you get a lowest common denominator blog. Laslo has nothing to apologize for. That one, she does.

Laslo Spatula said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gahrie said...

You know, an unscrupulous man might falsely claim to have DNA test results in order to make the mother give up a good claim.

Unless she's a slut, surely she knows the truth.

it always amazes me how far you will go to insult men in order to defend preferences for women. Very feminist of you.

While we're at it:

Do you believe that 20% of the women who attend the University of Wisconsin at Madison will be raped?

Unknown said...

"You mean, like when Inga (ahem) got herself kicked off the blog?"

Ohhhh no! Does she know?

Laslo actually should apologize to Chuck. Using someone's mother in one's pornographic silly stories is just too much and unfunny.

Laslo Spatula said...

Wasn't a 'pornographic story'.

Was an obscene example, yes, but not a story.

With a story I would have considered the feelings and motives of the horse. And given it a happy ending.

Anyway.

The commenter put forth a rule that insults were fair game as long as the person insulted wasn't a commenter.

Coincidentally, this then excused him/her from any blame for his/her then-current comments: amazing that the rule he/she came up with worked that way.

I made an extreme point, following his rule to the letter, to show how asinine it was.

And now, from Comedy Central: popular Yo' Mama jokes:

Yo' mama so nasty, that after we had phone sex I got an ear infection.

Yo' Mama is so ugly, her vibrator went soft.

Yo' Mama is so skanky, she could sell her spit to a sperm bank.

Yo' Mama is so skanky, her dildo came with jumper cables.

Yo' Mama is so skanky, she went to a family reunion looking for a boyfriend.

How much do I owe Yo' Mama? My dog came home happy last night.

How sad is your Mama? She fucked a horse and got you instead of a pony.

I might have wrote the last one.

I am Laslo.

David Baker said...

Well, I'm hoping this thread is not dead in the water - because there's a new, official-looking sign showing up around Minneapolis warning people that the Twin Cities police are "easily startled." Click the link to see the sign, which shows a policeman, guns drawn, shooting wildly.

(Although I believe a better sign would warn non-Muslim citizens about Sharia-enforcing cops)

Bad Lieutenant said...

Is Chuck Inga?

That would explain so much.