October 8, 2017

At the Kingfisher Kafé...



... you can talk about whatever you want.

And please consider shopping through The Althouse Amazon Portal.

The picture is of the Blyth's kingfisher and was painted in 1897 by E C Stuart Baker. That image appeared on Wikipedia's "welcome" page today under "Did you know...": "the scientific name of the Blyth's kingfisher... derives from the Greek demigod Hercules." Of course, you'd automatically know if you knew that the scientific name is Alcedo hercules.

114 comments:

David Begley said...

Wisconsin crushed Nebraska playing Nebraska's former style. Fully expected.

Now I Know! said...

Republican Senator Bob Corker just burnered the Doofus-in-Chief big time!

Now I Know! said...

It makes total sense for the Doofus-in-Chief to be in a twitter war with Republican Senators. Good luck with the tax plan Doofus-in-Chief!

Michael K said...

Empty profile thinks Corker is cool because he doesn't like Trump.

I think Trump went a bit overboard about Corker but we don't know what was said in private.

Corker is another rich guy who went into politics for ego. I once had hopes for him.

Now I Know! said...

But The Doofus-in-Chief is playing three dimension political chess...

Now I Know! said...

Will the Doofus-in-Chief allow that slap down go unanswered?

Hagar said...

Now I Know! should keep in mind that Trump - like Bloomberg - just ran as a Republican, but has no record of actually being one.

Rob said...

Is it too much to hope that we'd find Kingfish in the Kingfisher Kafe?

Now I Know! said...

"Corker is another rich guy who went into politics for ego."

Michael K, do you even think about what you write?

Why do you think the Doofus-in-Chief went into politics?

mockturtle said...

The D-backs were really disappointing in games 1 & 2 in LA. Their infield was just embarrassing and their pitching even worse.

Hoping Houston can take Boston and Cleveland can trounce NY in NY.

Michael K said...

"Michael K, do you even think about what you write?"

Do you have any idea how stupid you sound ?

Virgil Hilts said...

Back to Weinstein. Not my original thought (I may have read idea here and maybe even Ann suggested it) but I think it explains the silence. Imagine if Jennifer or Meryl decides to make a statement condemning HW. The reporter asks them the following. So this was an open secret in H-wood for decades. Is/was HW the only power guy doing this stuff or are there others about which their behavior is also an "open secret." Is HW really the only single one? If there are others, who are they? Why won't you answer the question?

Clyde said...

Blade Runner 2049 is now projected for a "soft" $31.5 million opening this weekend. That's down from an earlier projection of $45 million. All of the reviews and word-of-mouth are good, so what's the problem? Could be the 163 minute run time. Most of us who were adults when the original movie came out are now in our 50s and up. A movie that lasts 2-3/4 hours is too long without an intermission! You don't want to have to dart out of the theater during the movie to use the restroom, and you don't want to spend the last hour thinking more about needing to pee than about the movie. I suspect many who want to see it may wait until they can watch it at home and pause it as needed.

Dr Weevil said...

Word to the wise, and to those who would like to appear wise: Four comments in ten minutes, repeating the same stupid insult five times in all, makes the commenter look like a Doofus-in-Minimo.
As for the subject of this post, an equally small but far more attractive creature: I'm just disappointed that whoever devised the scientific name didn't use Hercules' patronymic ('descendant of Alcaeus'), as many ancient authors did, and call it 'Alcedo Alcides' for the pun.


mockturtle said...

Hundreds of thousands of Catalonians apparently do not favor independence. Telegraph: Catalonia Silent Majority Responds

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Huge fan of the original Blade Runner but haven't bothered with the remake. Global warming? Everything these people touch turns into a grotesque slob masturbating in front of a starlet.

JackWayne said...

Here’s the thing about Trump v Corker: Trump is right. Corker has been a mess since the day he entered the Senate. I’m glad he’ll be gone. Drain the swamp.

ALP said...

If you have not seen "Comrade Detective" on Amazon Prime - go watch it now if you have the means to do so. Its an old Romanian communist propaganda series from the 1980's digitally remastered and dubbed in English by the likes of Nick Offerman and others. Hilarious.

Now I Know! said...

The Doofus-in-Chief has made the insult in vogue.

Dr Weevil said...

An insult that lots of different people use is "in vogue". One that the same tedious person uses over and over is just self-illustrative.

rhhardin said...

There's a California ham contest on this weekend. I got 56 of them but now it's always the same stations so there's a very low payoff to searching the band again.

I took back down the antenna set up in the front yard for it.

California was a big deal to reach when I was a kid but now it's shooting fish in a barrel. The receivers are too good.

HT said...

There are many with empty profiles, not only those whose opinions annoy you.

hawkeyedjb said...

What will gun confiscation look like when the progs and Democrats are finally able to pass it into law?

The police can't handle it - there aren't enough of them, and we'd have no police left over for other police work. The Army probably can't, because of Posse Comitatus. We'll need a new federal Gun Control Agency to go out and round up those firearms. Where will they start? Perhaps where gun violence is most prevalent - in the barrios of Los Angeles, or the south and west sides of Chicago? We're talking about a force that will need to enter every single home in America - we can't just allow citizens to declare themselves gun-free. What will the Agents do with the occupants while they search the place? Hold them at gunpoint? Shackle them? Or just order them so sit quietly while they toss the place upside down? After a few hundred or a few thousand ransackings, when the Agents encounter an actual gang-banger apartment, will the occupants submit meekly, or will we have some shootouts on the street of Laredo?

I think gun confiscation has the potential to lead to far worse gun violence than anything we see today. There will be plenty of citizens who simply will not submit, and "Molon Labe" will be the operative phrase throughout a large part of America.

Michael K said...

HT, the blank profiles don't bother me as much as the repeated stupid comments that add nothing new.

Blank profiles are popular, however, among paid trolls.

Now I Know! said...

Dr. Weevil wrote "One that the same tedious person uses over and over is just self-illustrative."

You're speak about The Doofus-in-Chief here?

Dave Begley said...

This Harvey Weinstein thing is a huge opportunity for conservatives. Slam his enablers and all of their crazy beliefs starting with global warming and the treatment of women. But no real leader here unless Trump steps up.

HT said...

Colin K. will stand now, fyi.

HT said...

NRA sponsored congressmen and women: Gun laws have to also prevent knife, car, explosive, chemical, and any other type of violence anyone, anywhere, any place, any time can think of.

_____________________________
Scott Adams:
Criminals Will Break Gun Laws Anyway
The objective is to add some friction and reduce the risk that someone angry enough to pick up an AR doesn’t also have a bump stock in the house.The Vegas gunman had over 40 guns yet he used bump stocks on his weapons instead of buying illegal fully-automatic weapons in the first place. He also did not purchase grenade launchers, which would have been ideal for his purposes. The reason in both cases is that there was more friction for acquiring the illegal weapons. It wasn’t impossible. It was just harder.

A Guy in Japan Once Killed 30 People With a Knife
The argument here is that motivated killers will find a way to do damage with or without a gun. But does anyone think the guy in Japan killed more people with a knife than he could have with an armory of automatic weapons? And I remind you (again and again) that laws are not designed to stop the most motivated criminals, such as the Japanese stabber. Laws are designed to add friction to the less-clever and less-motivated.

Slippery Slope
Gun owners sometimes say banning any weapon leads to banning all of them. In general, the slippery slope argument is nonsense no matter what topic you are discussing. Things do lead to other things, but every decision stands on its own, and should. Banning personal use of grenade launchers did not lead to confiscation of hunting knives, and probably never will. The slippery slope idea inspires fear in gun lovers – because creeping regulations feel like a risk – but in the real world, each decision stands alone. The slippery slope is an irrational fear, not a reasonable factor in policy-making.

rcocean said...

Corker went after Trump and Trump as usual fired back.

Corker strikes me as another mediocre, pompous blowhard like Romney, who just can't keep his thoughts private and not publicly attack the Republican POTUS. No, Corker has to constantly signal all his Establishment buddies and NYT that Trump "just isn't one of us, Old man. Not the right sort."

So, Trump zings him, and tells the truth. I'm beginning to suspect that people like Sasse, Corker, and Flake are more interested in getting high paid lobbyist Jobs or pleasing their big Donors then in doing anything the Republican voters want.

Bill Crawford said...

G M Hopkins

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I dó is me: for that I came.

I say móre: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is —
Chríst — for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.

Michael K said...

I'm beginning to suspect that people like Sasse, Corker, and Flake are more interested in getting high paid lobbyist Jobs or pleasing their big Donors then in doing anything the Republican voters want.

Bingo, although Corker seems to have enough money. Maybe it is cocktail party invitations.

I encourage anyone who wants to understand Trump to read "Nixon's Whitehouse Wars" by Buchanan

It is all explained there. Nixon wanted approval from people who hated him. And he had been a poor boy, like Johnson.

Trump is neither.

HT said...

Dick Spencer was in Charlottesville again. And the Post has an article on the front page which I have not read but nevertheless find the little I have seen disturbing. The article is about a police officer in Philly whose superiors tried to remove from the force for misconduct, but could not. There is also a photo (apparently) of the officer. Is it a good idea to include the photo?

mockturtle said...

What will gun confiscation look like when the progs and Democrats are finally able to pass it into law?

Why does no one hold Hollywood accountable for promoting so-called 'gun violence'? I don't watch TV series but notice that there are very few promos don't include someone shooting someone else. The hypocrisy is stark.

Kevin said...

NRA sponsored congressmen and women: Gun laws have to also prevent knife, car, explosive, chemical, and any other type of violence anyone, anywhere, any place, any time can think of.

I think you mean gun laws:

1. Have a cost that should be considered, and
2. Can't be arbitrarily defined with respect to one weapon over another

If you truly care about the Republic, first do no harm.

Kevin said...

If you truly care about the Republic, first do no harm.

In other words: "Then Mollie Hemingway said something on the Special Report panel that was so compassionate and illuminating, it cooled my outrage. “We’re pretending we’re having a debate about gun control,” Mollie said, “but we’re really having a debate about the nature of evil and whether a big enough government can contain it.” It was an observation so womanly wise that a mere news discussion couldn’t address it. The rest of the panel ignored her and the talk immediately turned to the utterly meaningless effort to ban bump stocks.

But of course, she was right: that’s exactly what we’re really talking about. The left sneers at conservatives for “doing nothing,” but conservatism understands the tragedy of the fallen world: we can only choose between freedom with evil and slavery with evil, because no government is large enough to make evil go away."

https://pjmedia.com/andrewklavan/2017/10/08/american-heroes-universal-evil/

Bad Lieutenant said...

Kevin, beat me to it. Tim in VT, please read.

D 2 said...

There are a lot more issues with the culture/society than what Hollywood wants to talk about. There, I said it. Several posts about HW, and I could not find the wording til today
I know they say fish rot from the head. Scandal and villainies in Hollywood an Washington have more effect than what happens in the lives of me, the bus driver, the waitress, and the late night clerk.
But i honestly think that me, and the other three, when talking over coffee, seem preoccupied with how aimless some lives in the town are, and the mischief initiated by would-be Witchhunters looking to justify their status in semi-public sector jobs (the bus driver notes this alot) and the possible disconnect between rule makers and the producers/service providers.
HW and how Rose behaved then/now and what Jimmy didnt say is discussed at a far less ratio than these other matters. Which, ....maybe?..... Is a good thing?
The cultural issues vs the economy/govt issues I am trying to say. The coffeehouse talk are as much on the latter.

Kevin said...

“I left today's Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem,” Pence tweeted.

I'm working at home with my TV off as the NFL plays on.

Achilles said...

Now I Know! said...
It makes total sense for the Doofus-in-Chief to be in a twitter war with Republican Senators. Good luck with the tax plan Doofus-in-Chief!

The only people in DC less popular than democrats are the establishment republicans.

Trump is playing the long game. He has correctly written off the first 2 years of his term legislatively because of the swamp critters like Flake and Corker. They wont be around after 2018. There will be new republicans and they will likely care more about their voters than the donors.

I hope tax reform fails this year. What we will get in 2019 after we primary out 4 or 5 senate turds like flake and corker and increase the senate majority to ~60 republicans will be so much better than what we would get this year.

mockturtle said...

It was reported that the numbers on Paddock's infamous 'note' were trajectory data.

Michael K said...

My wife has always been a huge football fan. I have been more a college football fan but she loved the NFL. Now, she is not watching. She got the morning newspaper out to plan for the baseball playoffs.

I don't think the NFL owners and union realize what they have done. The Guardian, of course, is trying to convince the few Americans who read it that it is all racism.

Yet no sooner did Ray Lewis drop to both knees in prayer before the Ravens’ game against Jacksonville two Sundays ago – part of a wave of player protests against both police brutality and President Donald Trump’s profane attacks on NFL activists – then cries emerged for his statue to be removed.

A grassroots, online petition had drawn nearly 75,000 signatures as of 1 October, part of the second weekend of pro games since Trump’s demand that any “son of a bitch” who does not stand for the national anthem be fired.

One could ascribe the sudden transformation of Lewis from hero to villain, and the broader criticism of protesting NFL players, coaches, and even owners, to a genuine disagreement over the meaning of patriotism.

One could attribute it to a sincere misunderstanding that the protests, begun in August 2016 by Colin Kaepernick, always were directed at rogue police officers and the court system that exonerates them, not at the military or first responders, as President Trump has claimed.

We can't hear Colin Kaepernick any more. He's being drowned out by noise

If those explanations are not entirely wrong, however, they conveniently
ignore the overarching reason for the backlash: the morally corrupt contract between white fans and black athletes.


Yes, we pay money and they get money. What a deal !

YoungHegelian said...

@MK,

If those explanations are not entirely wrong, however, they conveniently
ignore the overarching reason for the backlash: the morally corrupt contract between white fans and black athletes.


Ya know, for a bunch of folks who don't like churches, lefties sure seem to be fond of preaching. Like, preaching all the time.

Is it that difficult to understand why people don't want to be preached at all the damn time? Even the old fire & brimstone guys knew that while you had your audiences attention at church, revival, or whatever, you had better use the time wisely. The folks in the pews had lives to lead, & you, Mr. Preacher Man, are getting an hour, & then it's back to life.

Not so these lefties. Every aspect of our lives now has to examined under a microscope for wrongthink. When the second wave feminists said that "The Personal is Political", I wonder if they imagined a day when the Personal would be swallowed in the Political.

campy said...

We'll need a new federal Gun Control Agency to go out and round up those firearms. Where will they start? Perhaps where gun violence is most prevalent - in the barrios of Los Angeles, or the south and west sides of Chicago?

LOL. If we had a FGCA, it would completely ignore "diverse" areas and exclusively target whites.

George said...

The Australian Human Rights Comission moves to stamp out “lift racism” (it’s a huge problem down under).

https://youtu.be/FFTjZilAwhM

rehajm said...

the morally corrupt contract between white fans and black athletes.

I don't recall signing anything but sometimes I do click those terms of service buttons to get where I'm going. I'll have to be more careful.

Alt Annhouse said...

I just love trolling you guys.

bgates said...

One could ascribe the sudden transformation of Lewis from hero to villain
...to his murder trial? (Two men were stabbed to death after a Super Bowl party; the blood of one man was found in Lewis' limo; the suit Lewis was wearing that night has never been found; Lewis agreed to testify against two of his companions in a plea agreement which reduced the charges against him to obstruction, for lying to the police and claiming he wasn't at the scene.)

rcocean said...

"Yes, we pay money and they get money. What a deal !"

LOL. Right on.

The poor babies play a kids game, get large salaries, a sweet pension (look at OJ's deal), endorsement money, and fame. Like many star athletes, they've been babied and fussed over since they were in HS, and probably don't understand their favored situation.

I have relatives who are now boycotting the NFL. Maybe I can get them to play a golf game now.

rcocean said...

"I just love trolling you guys."

And they love battling trolls.

Kevin said...

I just love trolling you guys.

We know you do, Inga. And we'd probably let your posts lie there unanswered, except it gives us an opportunity to say things we wouldn't otherwise say, and read other ways of responding that we might not have considered.

Even if all we can do is shoot at your stationary silhouette, some amount of target practice is useful.

rcocean said...

Pence walked out.

I wish more people would. If 5,000 or 10,000 walked out, it couldn't be ignored.

Trumpit said...

I was pleasantly surprised that SNL used the Las Vegas massacre in a comedy skit. I didn't think it could be tastefully done, but SNL's writers proved me wrong. They mocked the fact that the mass murderer was able to purchase so many weapons legally with out raising an eyebrow in law enforcement. I repeat my mantra that guns should be outlawed and hunting banned. I hate hunters with every fiber of my being because I love animals.

From another post, I think that the University of London should bury or cremate Jeremy Bentham's grotesque head.

Kevin said...

One could ascribe the sudden transformation of Lewis from hero to villain

Poor Ray Lewis. One minute he's a Baltimore icon who escaped a murder rap.

The next he's the "house negro" on the Ravens' Owner's plantation: http://www.dailywire.com/news/19319/classy-kaepernicks-girlfriend-compares-nfl-owners-elliott-hamilton

And then he's besieged for not standing during the National Anthem: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2017/09/27/ray-lewis-statue-gets-extra-security-as-petition-calls-for-its-removal/?utm_term=.4cd1b723e7a2

Doesn't he know the old saying about what happens to people who stand in the middle of the road?

Kevin said...

I was pleasantly surprised that SNL used the Las Vegas massacre in a comedy skit. I didn't think it could be tastefully done, but SNL's writers proved me wrong. They mocked the fact that the mass murderer was able to purchase so many weapons legally with out raising an eyebrow in law enforcement. I repeat my mantra that guns should be outlawed and hunting banned. I hate hunters with every fiber of my being because I love animals.

So you didn't think it could be tastefully done but since it pushed your preferred narrative you were pleasantly surprised how well they pulled it off?

Once again, let's not confuse correlation with causation.

Etienne said...

An interesting story on CBS was Martha Teichner's video on this guy in England who wanted to buy his father a globe of the world. Alas, they were all crap and not worthy.

So, what to do... He sold everything and started a globe company. He now has several people on the payroll, and his globes are the best in the world.

How do I know, I've seen globes, and his are light-years ahead in quality.

The Art of Making Globes

Michael K said...

" If we had a FGCA, it would completely ignore "diverse" areas and exclusively target whites."

Of course ! We are the ones who obey laws. The left always goes after the law abiding. Otherwise they might get hurt.

Humperdink said...

"Pence walked out."

And Kap has capitulated.

Dr Weevil said...

Now I Know wrote (12:22pm):
"Dr. Weevil wrote 'One that the same tedious person uses over and over is just self-illustrative.'

"You're speak about The Doofus-in-Chief here?"

I am indeed speaking (well, writing) about the only Doofus-in-Chief here on this site, the one so lacking in self-knowledge s/he can't even figure out that saying an insult is "self-illustrative" means that the only Doofus here is the one who keeps calling someone else Doofus.

Since Latin is best for succinct messages, here's what it comes down to: Et tu, Doofe.

Michael K said...

An interesting story on CBS was Martha Teichner's video on this guy in England who wanted to buy his father a globe of the world. Alas, they were all crap and not worthy.

I watched that video and thanks. I love maps. There is a map store in London, actually called The Map House, which is on Beauchamp Place near the V&A Museum. I have several maps from there and covet others I cannot afford. I quit collecting before I had to add on to my house. A customer of theirs in Texas has added on to his house.

My oldest is 1749 of California. It shows only as far as Monterrey Bay.

They had one that showed Baja California as an island. I saw Rick from Pawn Stars buy it one time on the TV show. Too much for me.

Those globes are too expensive for me but I liked the program.

I had about 50 charts of the west coast i donated to the yacht club when I quit sailing.


William said...

I wish the NFL players would treat America and its transgressions with the same tolerance and forgiveness that they extend to their fellow players who torture puppies, slap around their wives, father illegitimate children, and drive away from murdered bodies. By and large, NFL players have more reason to celebrate than to protest the iniquities in our justice system.

J. Farmer said...

@mockturtle:

Why does no one hold Hollywood accountable for promoting so-called 'gun violence'? I don't watch TV series but notice that there are very few promos don't include someone shooting someone else. The hypocrisy is stark.

While it may feel good to call out Hollywood for hypocrisy, this isn't the foundation on which to build a case. A causal relationship between violent media and violence in the culture is extremely week. If anything, violent depictions in media increased in the 90s during a decade of falling violent crime. The other big example, particularly against the feminism "porn causes rape trope" is Japan. Japan has a relatively low rate of rape or sexual assault but produces some of the most misogynistic pornography imaginable, including very realistic-looking rape scenarios. Also, the Internet. There is a theory that by being able to live out violent, antisocial fantasies through a virtual medium might actually decrease the need to live them out in the real world.

J. Farmer said...

I do not like Bob Corker because he is for amnesty. I didn't like him long before Trump probably ever heard of him. Trumpism is bigger than Trump. I think it is far more useful to defend Trumpism (which I do) than try to defend every instance of the president's thin-skinned childishness (which I don't).

In fact, Trump is a perfect illustration of his own problem. It is obvious he has relied far too heavily on the cable news/talk radio interpretation of politics. Which has useful insights on some occasions and is completely daff on others. Trump is simply not a deep enough thinker to see through this. And so he has defined his agenda as being against anything Obama was for, because he seems to have bought into the cable news/talk radio absurdity that Trump is some kind of extreme far-left figure, instead of seeing the truth, which is that Obama was the kind of bought and paid for centrist we have seen for years in national politics.

Gahrie said...

I hate hunters with every fiber of my being because I love animals.

Those hunters do more to help wildlife than you could even dream of doing. They keep populations healthy, and their fees pay for wildlife management.

Gahrie said...

I repeat my mantra that guns should be outlawed and hunting banned

Comfortable being a peasant?

J. Farmer said...

@Trumpit:

I repeat my mantra that guns should be outlawed and hunting banned. I hate hunters with every fiber of my being because I love animals.

Hunting is actually a useful way of controlling populations of animals. Without hunting, you can expect a good number of those animals to wander into streets and get hit by cars, where they may linger for hours or days with their injuries before succumbing. Or they may starve to death. Or they may get eaten by another animal. You think this is preferable to being hunted?

And yes, there are hunters who are just douche bags and want to kill something. But there are a great deal who actually take it quite seriously and are themselves advocates for animals. Plus, unless you are a vegan, you are a total hypocrite. The life of a factory farmed animal is, by orders of magnitude, more tortuous than an animal that is hunted in the wild.

J. Farmer said...

I repeat my mantra that guns should be outlawed...

Drugs are outlawed, too, yet every liberal I know assures me that such laws cannot work and will simply create organized black markets because the demand is there. I happen to agree with that assessment. But why does it not apply to guns?

Michael K said...

Trump is simply not a deep enough thinker to see through this. And so he has defined his agenda as being against anything Obama was for

Not a bad place to start, Roosevelt was a very shallow thinker as was JFK. Have you read a biography of Nelson Rockefeller ? I have. He was dyslexic and never read a book.

Lyndon Johnson never read a book.

The smartest man to be president in the 20th century was probably Nixon.

Presidents need to be good politicians and to have good advice and know how to take it. Bill Clinton had both but he fell down on terrorism. His foreign policy advice was all Arkansas level.

Johnson was a superb politician but everything was politics to him. He treated the North Vietnamese like south Texas politicians.

Trump treats the opposition like New York City labor unions, which is probably a hell of a lot better idea.

The military guys and Tillerson have spent years dealing with Arabs and, as individuals, Arabs are probably admirable people until you get into Islam.

Most of the Arabs they have dealt with are atheists and use Islam as a political device.

That is not true of the hoi polloi.

Harvey Weinstein tells you all you need to know about Hollywood politicians. Louis B Mayer molested Judy Garland when she was 12.

Nothing has changed.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Japan is an outlier in almost any behavioral survey because...well, they're culturally and demographically insular and a bit weird by almost anyone else's standards. I was listening to a podcast last night and the Canadian host was praising Japan's pre-Perry xenophobia as though it was some kind of act-locally Green initiative instead of a deeply held belief that the rest of the world were barbarians. Love this kid's podcast but even for a Canadian that was pretty freakin' disingenuous.

Sydney said...

Re: Comrade Detective. It wasn't made in the 1980's. It is a parody of a 1980s Romanian detective show. It was filmed recently in Romania in Romanian using Romanian actors then dubbed with American actor voices. Written and created by the two guys mentioned in the much earlier post. Just had to clarify. Seems like they went to a lot of trouble to make it and their work should be acknowledged

Michael K said...

Canadian host was praising Japan's pre-Perry xenophobia as though it was some kind of act-locally Green initiative instead of a deeply held belief that the rest of the world were barbarians.

A lot of people who have read Clavell's "Shogun" don't realize it is based on a true story. An English sailor was marooned there in the 1500s but he did get back to England, unlike in "Shogun" and set up an alliance between Elizabeth I and The Shogun.

Clyde said...

ALP said...
If you have not seen "Comrade Detective" on Amazon Prime - go watch it now if you have the means to do so. Its an old Romanian communist propaganda series from the 1980's digitally remastered and dubbed in English by the likes of Nick Offerman and others. Hilarious.


While I agree with ALP that "Comrade Detective" is hilarious, it should be noted that the show was actually shot last fall in Romania. They did a really good job in getting the feel of a 1980s-era Iron Curtain buddy cop comedy-drama, though. It's only six episodes, so you can binge watch it easily in one sitting. Recommended.

Will Cate said...

"See the splashing of the Kingfisher flashing through the water
And a river of green is sliding unseen beneath the trees
Laughing as it passes through the endless summer, making for the sea."

-- Pink Floyd, "Grantchester Meadows" (1969)

Ken B said...

CBS promises to stop reporting fake news if ratings climb.

Will Cate said...

rcocean said...

And they love battling trolls.


Not all of us...

Meade said...

"I just love trolling you guys."

Now I Know!,

As a self-important troll, you have trolled us dozens of times over the past few days. You have almost never trolled Harvey Weinstein over the past thirty years. What does that say about your world view?

(reference here: http://althouse.blogspot.com/2017/10/new-york-magazine-says-right-wing-tries.html?showComment=1507480886923#c4870394253724381723)

Michael K said...

Feeding trolls is a waste of time I could be sleeping.

Or walking the dog.

Kevin said...

I was listening to a podcast last night and the Canadian host was praising Japan's pre-Perry xenophobia as though it was some kind of act-locally Green initiative instead of a deeply held belief that the rest of the world were barbarians.

If only Trump had positioned his America First policies as a reactionary rebuke to America's colonialist activities around the world, lefties would have marched in the streets in support.

J. Farmer said...

@Michael K:

Not a bad place to start...

No, but it isn't Trumpism, which I doubt Trump could even articulate clearly. Trumpism is like Clintonism before it, an opportunity to realign partisan affiliations. I just don't think Trump is the guy to pull it off. I hoped his staff (e.g. Bannon and Miller) could see it through, but as usual for most of Trump's life, his ego and narcissism are getting in the way.

Kevin said...

South Park DNA testing. What percent victim are you?


mockturtle said...

JFarmer argues: While it may feel good to call out Hollywood for hypocrisy, this isn't the foundation on which to build a case. A causal relationship between violent media and violence in the culture is extremely week. If anything, violent depictions in media increased in the 90s during a decade of falling violent crime.

I did not claim cause and effect or even a correlation between entertainment violence and gun crimes. I was referring only to the glamorization of violence by Hollywood and their hypocrisy regarding gun control. I don't even think there is a correlation between gun ownership and 'gun violence' [in quotes because guns are not, in themselves, violent]. As an NRA member and gun owner I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment.

J. Farmer said...

@mockturtle:

I was referring only to the glamorization of violence by Hollywood and their hypocrisy regarding gun control.

My point is that I do not see hypocrisy in those two positions. Unless you believe that media depictions of violence cause violence in the society, then I do not see how you can make a hypocrite argument. One could conveyable, be all for media violence and still favor gun control without experiencing any real conflict in those positions.

JSF said...

Why does Now I Know support sexual predation by Democrats and their allies?

People like President Bill Clinton, Rep. Weiner and Senator Ted Kennedy?

Very curious on how quiet Now I know about that. He is OK with Democratic politicians and allies abusing women and proles.

ALP said...

RE: Comrade Detective: thanks for the clarification on the era in which filmed. I was thinking the whole time while watching: "Damn, this is really well made for such an old series!"

I have read many, many detective novels over the years written by a range of authors from many countries*. I never tire of how often the "cop going rogue and breaking the rules vs. the Stiff Collar Chief of Police" dynamic appears. It was a bonus for me that Nick Offerman had that role. The only thing missing was whining that "the Mayor is on my ass about this case..." I loved the urban architecture in the series.

*Japanese detectives don't really buck the system like Western detectives do and are much more covert about going rogue.

ALP said...

There's a California ham contest on this weekend.
**************
FYI - I read this as ham meaning "tasty meat made from a pig". As you can imagine, this made the rest of the post utterly confusing. 56 hams! Why so many hams rhhardin? How many people ARE you feeding?

Churchy LaFemme: said...

Movie crimes can only be solved by an officer who if not suspended has at least been taken off the case.

Etienne said...

Those globes are too expensive for me but I liked the program.

I called a friend who works for a big energy company downtown (the tallest skyscraper), and said he said he is going to have them look into buying a giant one.

He said it would be the coolest globe in the industry, if it showed where all the oil deposits were. They don't really want country/city names, the want oil field names, ha.

Paco Wové said...

Another positive vote for "Comrade Detective". It's funniest if you're old enough to understand all the commie propaganda references as well as the buddy-cop genre parody. I thought it wore a little thin towards the end, but on the whole one of the few things I've seen produced this century that I actually thought was funny.

Michael K said...

as usual for most of Trump's life, his ego and narcissism are getting in the way.

If you think Trump's ego and narcissism are a problem, I invite you to read the Caro Lyndon Johnson biography.

Frankly there has probably not been a president since Coolidge who did not have an issues with ego and narcissism.

J. Farmer said...

@Michael K:

If you think Trump's ego and narcissism are a problem, I invite you to read the Caro Lyndon Johnson biography.

I think this is a trap you fall into often. If I criticize a Republican or conservative President, it's no defense to point out some Democratic or liberal President with the same or greater vice. I cannot recall ever having written a positive thing about LBJ, so you're pushing on an open door with me.

Frankly there has probably not been a president since Coolidge who did not have an issues with ego and narcissism.

Certainly. I do not deny that. But degree matters. And I am not, as a matter of course, a supporter, lover, or flatterer of politicians. The whole lot should be treated with a great deal of skepticism and suspicion.

Kevin said...

49ers Safety Eric Reid on Mike Pence's leaving over the Anthem protests: "So this looks like a PR stunt to me."

Like when the players kneel or raise their fists during the Anthem?

Kevin said...

I do not deny that. But degree matters.

But then all we're left with is your personal egoism scale. What seems a significant difference to you might not seem significant to others, which is why they challenge your calibration with historical examples.

Personally, I think failing to decline a Nobel Peace Prize you didn't earn sets the bar for Presidential egoism, but as we're noting here there isn't one scale that we can all use.

Given that, discussions of egregious egoism are probably a waste of time for all of us and should be avoided.

Michael K said...

"I think this is a trap you fall into often."

No, but I think there is one for those who think they are neutral and yet always seem to be criticizing the right.

You are conservative enough to enjoy Pat Buchanan's "Nixon's White House Wars."

Read it and tell me it doesn't sound like Trump would have been comfortable there.

I'm OK with saying Trump is not a great intellect but he has been successful in business, no matter what the lefties say.

Compare him with people who have never held a job outside of government and get back to me.

J. Farmer said...

@Kevin:

But then all we're left with is your personal egoism scale

We're all left with our own personal egoism scale. Obviously, as you say, what may be too much for me may be not enough for someone else.

...which is why they challenge your calibration with historical examples.

Except I was not challenged that way. That other presidents had problems with egotism and narcissism has nothing to do with whether or not Trump has problems with egotism and narcissism. The latter was my point; the former has nothing to do with my argument.

Personally, I think failing to decline a Nobel Peace Prize you didn't earn sets the bar for Presidential egoism, but as we're noting here there isn't one scale that we can all use.

I believed, repeatedly, that Obama was an egotist and a narcissist, and I think those problems contributed to problems in his presidency. Again, how does pointing that out have anything to do with Trump's narcissism?

Given that, discussions of egregious egoism are probably a waste of time for all of us and should be avoided.

Agreed. Ultimately it's too vague and ambiguous a term to have much of a discussion with. But I don't really think that was really what I meant to talk about. I don't believe Trump has the political smarts to pull off Trumpism. I believed that from the beginning, but I voted for him anyway, because it was worth a shot and was vastly preferable to the reinstallation of the Clinton regime in American national politics. But I always considered it a hail mary pass. With or without Trump, America is still likely doomed. I seriously hope he proved me wrong. And I am open to changing my mind. If he can pull off the Wall, E-VERIFY, and big reductions in legal immigration, it will be worth it. So long as he can keep his foreign policy blundering at bay.

Michael K said...

But I always considered it a hail mary pass. With or without Trump, America is still likely doomed. I seriously hope he proved me wrong

I assume you read The Flight 93 Election, as many of us did.

A bunch of us did and commented on it then, before the election.

Libertarians do not live in the real world. In the days when my great grandfather came here from Ireland, about 1800, there was no welfare state and immigrants were on their own. That he and his children thrived had nothing to do with government. Finally, he bought farm land in Illinois and some of it may have been homesteaded. My grandmother’s parents did homestead their farm.

Lincoln was a Whig and they supported canals and railroads. That was beneficial but there was no welfare. There was not even a program for the wounded of the Civil War. There were Revolutionary War pensions and an ancestor did apply. I think it was mostly land that was free anyway.

We are a long way from the libertarian world.


That was me before the election when I thought Trump would lose.

J. Farmer said...

@Michael K:

I assume you read The Flight 93 Election, as many of us did.

A bunch of us did and commented on it then, before the election.


I did not. And, in fact, never heard of it. My schedule sometimes keeps me away from the internet for weeks at a time. But thinks to your link, I have just read it. And my response is: BRAVO. With few exceptions, I something I could have authored myself, though I think the actual author says with a great deal more style than I could have mustered. This part stuck out at me:

"Since Pat Buchanan’s three failures, occasionally a candidate arose who saw one piece: Dick Gephardt on trade, Ron Paul on war, Tom Tancredo on immigration. Yet, among recent political figures—great statesmen, dangerous demagogues, and mewling gnats alike—only Trump-the-alleged-buffoon not merely saw all three and their essential connectivity, but was able to win on them."

This is where I start to part company with the writer. I don't really think Trump "saw all three and their essential connectivity." In fact, I would be shocked if Trump could articulate Trumpism with a fraction of the skill of this article. I don't deny that, on a certain level, Trump has good instincts where it matters. Sessions as AG has been Trump's singular greatest achievement to date. But I do belief that Trump is ultimately a buffoon, not merely an alleged one. Listen to Trump on Stern argue with gossip columnist AJ Benza about who stole whose girlfriend. And that's from a guy in his mid-50s.

Darrell said...

If you have not seen "Comrade Detective" on Amazon Prime - go watch it now if you have the means to do so. Its an old Romanian communist propaganda series from the 1980's digitally remastered and dubbed in English by the likes of Nick Offerman and others. Hilarious.

You fell for the showrunners' shtick. There never was a series like this--it is newly filmed in Romania by Amazon under Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka. The Romanian stars are even speaking English dialogue so that it was easier for the American stars to dub in the voices, to further the conceit and give Hollywood bozos a paycheck. They wouldn't do that under Communism.

And the showrunners are stupid Lefty asses. They really believe Ronald Reagan had Red Dawn made. And they really believe that Americans will first laugh at the stilted commie propaganda, then say "You know, he's kind of right about that." Some people don't deserve American freedom they've been given.

Michael K said...

" But I do belief that Trump is ultimately a buffoon, not merely an alleged one."

A lot of people thought the same about Agnew. You should read Buchanan's book. I think you would enjoy it.

J. Farmer said...

@Michael K:

A lot of people thought the same about Agnew. You should read Buchanan's book. I think you would enjoy it.

If people thought that about Agnew (and I have no reason to believe they didn't), that's fine, but it still has nothing to do with what I am talking about. If you disagree with me that Trump is not a buffoon, then make that case. Give me the argument. I will consider it and respond. But you're doing legerdemain. What people got right or wrong about Agnew is meaningless to the question of what people are getting right or wrong about Trump. What is your answer to that question? And? That's what I care about most.

Jim at said...

"I was pleasantly surprised that SNL used the Las Vegas massacre in a comedy skit. "

Of course you were. Because nothing is funnier to a leftist than 58 dead, country music fans.

Michael K said...

What is your answer to that question? And? That's what I care about most.

I guess you are not reachable. Time for my book.

Goodbye.

Bad Lieutenant said...

J-Farm,

Define your terms. Whence "buffoon?"

Bad Lieutenant said...

As for your greater question, why the whataboutism for Trump, people use these labels like voodoo dolls to frighten us. He's narcissistic he's egoistic he's this he's that. Well, our point is, they all are! It's very hard to point at a modest humble man of high gifts and character, of whatever nebulous nature you are describing, who has filled the office, for a very long time. And if you had a decent fellow like GWB? Did they get any credit? Not much. So the fact or otherwise of buffoonery is simply not relevant to what we want from this President. We didn't elect him to play out Emily Post. Shop this particular criticism elsewhere, you will find it a drug on the market of Trump voters.

I also think that you are seeing the aspects of trump that President Trump wishes you to see.

Ray - SoCal said...

Blade Runner was my favorite movie for many years, and when I read about Global Warming in the sequel I lost interest.

Why does everything need to be political in movies?

>Global warming?

Ray - SoCal said...

At the pizza place I ate dinner with my family, it's full of big screens playing sports and usually packed.

Tonight it was about a third empty.

Kevin said...

Blade Runner was my favorite movie for many years, and when I read about Global Warming in the sequel I lost interest.

Can a movie about the future get the green light in Hollywood without the requisite bowing and scraping to AGW?

Opening weekend is not living up to expectations for the Blade Runner sequel. After watching the original Blade Runner last weekend on Blu-ray, my family has chosen to watch My Little Pony: The Movie at our theater instead. The social issues the stories about these ponies address, of finding your place in the world, making a contribution, and developing true relationships with others, are more pertinent to our lives.

And far less preachy.

Kevin said...

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said emphatically that his players will stand for the national anthem and not disrespect the flag, and if they do, the player or players will not play.

"If there's anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play," Jones said after the Cowboys' 35-31 loss to the Green Bay Packers. "Understand? We will not ... if we are disrespecting the flag, then we will not play. Period."


Commissioner Goodell, call your office. Apparently Trump has found his "one owner".

Jones did what he could for league unity over the past few weeks, but it's clear to him now that it's not going to stop until the owners take action. Not only did he prohibit the practice for his team, he stated unequivocally that the form of protest was disrespecting the flag, exhortations by the protesters notwithstanding.

Now that it's been made clear it's within each owner's ability to address, the league can now break cleanly into two factions - those which prohibit and those which support not standing for the anthem.

Kevin said...

More here:

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross, who had three players — wide receiver Kenny Stills, safety Michael Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas — kneel during the national anthem prior to last week’s game said Sunday he wished they would stand for the anthem. The trio ended up standing in the tunnel during the anthem and running onto the field afterward.

Coach Adam Gase implemented a policy Sunday requiring players to stand for the national anthem. Those who don’t wish to stand must stay in the locker room or in the tunnel.

Ross, who spoke about 90 minutes before the Dolphins’ 16-10 victory over Tennessee and the national anthem, said President Donald Trump has changed the focus of anthem conversation from social injustice issues to patriotism, so it’s better now for the players to stand.

Kevin said...

I'll bet neither Schumer nor Pelosi have taken the time to read The Art of the Deal.

Trump unveils new strict 70-point immigration enforcement plan

urbane legend said...

hawkeyedjb said
I think gun confiscation has the potential to lead to far worse gun violence than anything we see today. There will be plenty of citizens who simply will not submit, and "Molon Labe" will be the operative phrase throughout a large part of America.

Beer swilling fat heads make the most inane and boastful comments on gun forums about their plans should gun confiscation attempts occur. I think many sensible gun owners will come up with a plan so there won't be guns in the house when your friendly confiscating agent show up.
One way or the other, there will be violence.

Rusty said...

hawkeyedjb said...
"What will gun confiscation look like when the progs and Democrats are finally able to pass it into law?"

They will physically do nothing. The gorilla in the room is 300 MILLION firearms in the hands of over 100 MILLION citizens. Now really. What do you propose?

Trumpit said...

["I was pleasantly surprised that SNL used the Las Vegas massacre in a comedy skit. "

Of course you were. Because nothing is funnier to a leftist than 58 dead, country music fans.]


Feeling overcome with guilt and moral responsibility for the massacre in Vegas, Jim?

You try to blame the massacre on the Left, when you know that Rightists, like you, and the NRA are in lockstep with unregulated gun proliferation and the killing of wildlife. Try again to place the blame, and try some soul searching while you are at it.

You want to laugh at hypocrisy and deserved ridicule? Look in the mirror; you have blood on your hands, you farce.

mockturtle said...

Kevin, it's all too little, too late. These measures are just a reaction to loss of business and do not reflect any real standards of the NFL or its owners. They could have nipped this travesty in the bud but chose to side with the kneelers. People aren't likely to forget.

I'm enjoying college football and the baseball post-season.

Unknown said...

Sometimes I struggle with lyrics. Here in Cleveland there is a band, accomplished musicians, who come together once a month to honor Graham Parsons. In his song 'Grievous Angel', I never understood while loving what Graham sang after he sang'I saw my devils, and my deep blue' and my calico bonnet. Now I know that is the white hat many fundamentalist Christian women wear. Life is funny.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Go see Blade Runner 2049. Global warming is totally not the point. Don't be superficial in your judgments!