January 27, 2018

At the Tree Shadow Café...

IMG_1851

... you can talk about whatever you want.

(And please consider using The Althouse Portal if you're shopping at Amazon.)

79 comments:

rhhardin said...

You'd think preview R for pervasive language and brief nudity would sell better as pervasive nudity and brief langauge, but I'm not a marketing director.

Actually I have one like that, ... checking ... Madrid (1987), a Dinner with Andre with no clothes, watched long ago.

lonetown said...

Reminded me a little of Marc Chagall's Church painting.

YoungHegelian said...

I received this link from a friend who's a recently retired State Dept. Foreign Service guy. Needless to say, he's all bent out of shape by the Trumpies being in power.

I'm sorry, but what a bunch of bitchers & moaners! Do these people think that stories like this actually build any sympathy for them among the great majority of workers in this country who go to work every day, have to do whatever shitty thing they're told to do, & get fired if they don't?

Yoo-hoo, State Dept people! The Hildabeest lost! Deal with it! The Trump admin has different policy goals than a Clinton admin would. Duh! Not only that, but, yeah, there's probably some major trust issues between the Trumpies & State because hundreds of you guys help HRC engage in security skirting & corrupt activities with nary a peep of protest. In private industry, when the management team you backed loses, you get fired. But, these foreign service clowns not only do they think they're owed a job, they think they're owed their job of choice!

Trump is so blessed in his enemies!

Levi Starks said...

It been my observation that most people underrate the significance of which direction their house sits.
The back of my house faces south, and when the morning sun bathes the kitchen in light in the middle of winter it’s simply glorious.

Jersey Fled said...

I'm really intrigued with this Hawaii missile scare thing. Seems that whoever sent the alarm has decided not to cooperate with the authorities. Maybe something more than someone hitting the wrong button?

I love conspiracy theories.

Ann Althouse said...

The back of our house has northern light, which I prefer. The southern exposure can be harsh in winter. So I agree that the light coming into the house matters, but I might not agree about which way it matters. But normally your house has exposures on four sides and you can decide where you want to hang out. We have a wall of windows 40’ long almost floor to ceiling, so that’s a lot of light. If it wasn’t northern light, I don’t think it would work. Other rooms with different kinds of windows, as you see in this photo, have other exposures. The dog loves sleeping in that light.

Big Mike said...

@Levi, agreed. Our lot faces south, and the breakfast nook is in the southeast corner of the first floor. Just great views of the mountains.

@YoungHegelian, is it too late to remind the State Department people affected that they are the servants of the people? Sometimes you take on thankless, shit jobs because that's what your boss needs to have done.

Chuck said...

This is such a glorious weekend. The whole thing is bathed in the warm light of Sean Hannity’s Thursday night humiliation when he doubted the Times’ story on Trump’s foiled outburst asking that Mueller be fired. Only to have Fox correspondent Ed Henry say that his own sources agreed with the story.

Life is beautiful.

Big Mike said...

Of course with the front of your house facing north, you do have to watch what you plant in your landscaping. Our first house had a large, north-facing, bay window and nothing would grow under it until we discovered impatiens. We planted a different color each year, but some had dropped seeds and so eventually the barren area became the most colorful in our landscaping.

YoungHegelian said...

@Big Mike,

@YoungHegelian, is it too late to remind the State Department people affected that they are the servants of the people?

Nuh-uhh! None of that servi servorum Dei booyah for Foreign Service folks, no sirree bob! You just don't understand how lucky deplorables like me & you are to have people of their manifest quality on the job, making our world a better place.

If you think that previous paragraph is hyperbole, you've never been in a room of FS types. Honestly, they think they are the bestest & that they shit Belgian chocolate quality chocolate mousse.

madAsHell said...

I see that Maxine Waters is giving the black State of the Union on BET.

I guess the failed rodeo clown from Florida wasn't available.

Jupiter said...

I am still pondering the "civility bullshit" concept. It is occurring to me that it is the key to understanding the Left. When they say they want civility, what they really want is for you to shut up. And that's always the case. Whatever they say is their objective, isn't. They always lie about what they are trying to do, because what they are trying to do is something normal people don't want.

They actually want to flood America with loser foreigners who will go on welfare and vote Democrat. And in their internal e-mails, they say so. But publicly, they have somehow discovered that everyone on Earth has a right to become an American, and only a vicious bigoted racist criminal would try to stand in their way. Ask Igna why she is so eager to import foreign criminals. She will *never* state a reason, because there is no presentable reason. Instead, she tries to turn the issue into a moral issue, and to paint you as a bad person for wanting to keep what you have. Her motivations will not withstand scrutiny, and so she evades the question and attacks the person who asked it.

Humperdink said...

@Chuck. Is the NYTimes source the same person that said Trump was going to fire Rex T?

Etienne said...

Alas, we need to replace all the windows on the south side.

The gas between the panes is gone, and they look like they are painted white inside (very ugly). Then we need to put in some awning, or maybe some French doors to hide the glass during the day, so that doesn't happen again.

Could be that they were cheap windows to begin with...

cf said...

We are in a Miserable Grey & Wet Daze over in Portland, ooof, where is my Blue-White Light, my body is still waiting for dawn and it is 11 in the morning.

(I could never do Antarctica)

Sad.

William said...

It's an article of faith on the left that the FBI unfairly investigated American communists, anarchists, and black activists out of bias. Why, then, is it impossible for a new FBI generation with new biases to unfairly target Trump and his supporters? Are American communists beyond reproach and Trump supporters beneath contempt?.,,,,,,,Also, we learn that these charges against the FBI have served to demoralize that institution. What efffect did all those charges have on members of the Baltimore, Ferguson, and other police departments.......I suppose we all have a double standard, but the left has a knack for presenting their biases as aspirational ideals and the right's biases as dark, demotic urges.

Drago said...

William: "Why, then, is it impossible for a new FBI generation with new biases to unfairly target Trump and his supporters?"

We should be careful to state that we only for certain that members of the upper echelon of the FBI and intelligence agencies were involved in this.

There are quite a few reports that the Field Office personnel and many of the agents in DC have been quite upset at the politicization of the FBI/Intelligence agencies by LLR Chuck's "magnificent" obama as well as Hillary.

Birches said...

I just realized I had Tammy Duckworth and Tammy Baldwin confused.

Big Mike said...

Are American communists beyond reproach and Trump supporters beneath contempt?

@William, read the comments on other Althouse posts from gadfly, Inga, Trumpit, Toothless, ARM, roesch, and Chuck. The answer to the second part of your question should be plain.

Big Mike said...

@YounfHegelian, having lived in the Washington area for almost fifty years, I know the type. But they aren’t just from the Foreign Service. Not by any stretch.

Wince said...

Huffpost: Secret Society’ FBI Text Actually Began With A ‘Beefcake’ Putin Calendar: The backstory to the message that’s been blowing up conservative media is pretty funny.

Republican lawmakers seized upon the “secret society” reference this week, claiming to see sinister motives, and it started popping up all over cable news chyrons. But, in fact, it was almost certainly a joke, a bit of gallows humor after an election that featured Russian interference.

Russian interference that Strzok admittedly couldn't detect after 10 months of investigation.

Worse for the Democrats, the talking point actually implicates many superiors above Strzok and Page.

Are you even going to give out your calendars? Seems kind of depressing,” Page, a FBI lawyer, wrote in the text to Strzok from her FBI-issued phone. “Maybe it should just be the first meeting of the secret society.”

I agree it was gallows humor. Not because Trump policies would govern the country the next four years, or Russian influence.

Rather, Strzok and Page knew their jig was up.

While they could operate openly under Obama-Lynch-McCabe (e.g., "Andy's office), immediately after Trump won they knew their cover would eventually be blown.

Even if "secret society" text after the election was a joke, the truth that all humor is based on implicates an "open society" at DOJ-FBI that Strzok and Page operated in before the election, and the higher-ups who had to be part of it.

Humperdink said...

Chuck said: "Life is beautiful."

I could not agree more. Hillary still not president. Nor Jeb, Chris, Lindsey, John, or George. Yesiree, life is good.

Achilles said...

(And please consider using The Althouse Portal if you're shopping at Amazon.)

Would it be a faux paux to ask how much this actually contributes?

Achilles said...

Chuck said...

Life is beautiful.

Agree.

It will be even better when Mueller and Comey are indicted.

My bet is Huma is the first to turn States evidence and rat Obama out.

Can I have a copy of that?

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Anyone else notice the volume of Trump obstructed justice stories this weekend. Trump wanted to fire Mueller. Trump wanted McCade fired. They all seem to have the same bent. Firing Comey is not enough for obstruction of justice. But these other facts are enough to show a pattern to obstruct!!! Or some such bullshit.

It's interesting these stories are popping when Trump is negotiating his statement to Mueller. So where are they coming from.

NPR says the rats of jumping off the sinking Trump ship. Every man for himself now!

I'd guess they are coming from Mueller. He's trying to let the Dems down easy. He'll report they tried but gosh darn there's just not enough evidence to convict.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Or another reason to suspect Mueller is because every time information comes out showing the government was abusing their power, Mueller makes a counter move.

I wonder what Mueller is thinking. He must know he's in danger of looking stupid. He's stuck with the sinking collusion narrative while the big scandal of government abuse is getting ready to take-off.

Hagar said...

"Unskilled" immigrants are the most likely to look for and find opportunities in formerly unexploited places, thus giving flexibility to move with the times.
Do you really want to leave it to the bureaucracy to screen immigrants to pass in those most pleasing to themselves? This will, as always with the bureaucracy, be aimed at fixing things in place as they were in the past, and will also guarantee the process to be thoroughly corrupted by the lobbyists as we have seen with the H1B visas.

Malesch Morocco said...

Used the Althouse Amazon portal for shopping last night.

Hagar said...

I still think Mueller's primary mission is to extricate the FBI from the mess Comey got it into, and obviously this is not going too well.

The idea of Trump firing Mueller is a wet dream for the loony left. Watergate!!! Yay!!!

There obviously must have been discussions at the White House about how to deal with Mueller's "investigation," but firing him has never been a possibility. The farce and/or tragedy is just going to have to play out until it all becomes moot from other developments - such as the next president having been elected.

Guildofcannonballs said...


This is a link I demi-demand all view and cogitate.

Don't you see what you are missing?

Mark said...

About the FBI . . .

That first episode of "Waco" was actually pretty good. Still cannot believe it's been 25 years though!

So it starts out setting the background -- with some flashbacks showing what happened at Ruby Ridge. How ATF and FBI ginned up BS charges as a pretext, including overblown hype about the Aryan Nation, to go after Randy Weaver. And then shooting his son. And then an FBI sniper shooting his wife following a kill order (to shoot Randy) by the FBI agent.

And again at Waco under Bill Clinton and Janet Reno. Using pretexts to go after some perceived enemy.

Then history repeats itself today with FBI and DOJ misconduct in the Cliven Bundy case.

Look, if you look back at the several decades of the FBI since Hoover's early days, you will see a widespread pattern of corruption and a thug mentality of thinking they can do whatever the hell they want.

Hagar said...

The interview with Obama at Emanu-El looked to me like an audition for Obama's availability as a spokesperson for some organization or movement.

The Democrats do not have any others of Obama's age. It looks like a whole generation of 80 year olds, +/- 10 years, are going to have to die off and blow away before anyone new will be allowed to raise his or her head. and speak to new issues.

Spaceman said...

Ann: I'm surprised you haven't taken a shot at the 2018 Grammy nominees. They could have a category for most time "nigga" is said in one song - but they already got that covered in Best Rap Artist - along with a host of other misogynistic lyrics for which I'm too gentlemanly to repeat. But you can look one up. It will be curious as to whether any of the nominated songs can be played national TV. I do acknowledge that I don't fully appreciate the "living the street" or "keeping it real" as art

http://www.metrolyrics.com/humble-lyrics-kendrick-lamar.html

Darrell said...

Watch this and decide whether Mueller should be fired. Add to it that fact that Muelller was the fucking liar that cleared Sandy Berger from the most serious charges. Mueller told everyone that Berger only stole copies--so that it was a trifle. Berger stole MARKED UP copies with notes and comments made by Bill Clinton. That made them irreplaceable originals. I'd jail him solely for that malfeasance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa95jLxZfc4

Etienne said...

faux paux

Giggle...

faux = false (vrai means true - fyi)
pas = step

faire un faux pas

And of course: à pas de loup When you're slinking around the fridge while the wife snores in her bed.

Darrell said...

A former federal prosecutor says the truth is starting to seep out about the Obama Administration’s “brazen plot to exonerate Hillary Clinton” and “frame an incoming president with a false Russian conspiracy,” according to an exclusive interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation. Joe diGenova, a former federal prosecutor, connects the dots on former Obama administration Justice Department and FBI officials who may have “violated the law, perhaps committed crimes” to politicize law enforcement and surveillance against political opponents. He says former FBI Director James Comey conducted a fake criminal investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as they “followed none of the regular rules, gave her every break in the book, immunized all kinds of people, allowed the destruction of evidence, with no grand jury, no subpoenas, no search warrants. That’s not an investigation. That’s a Potemkin village. It’s a farce.”

Darrell said...

DiGenova condemned the FBI for working so closely with the controversial Fusion GPS, a political hit squad paid by the DNC and Clinton campaign to create and spread the discredited Steele dossier about President Donald Trump. Without a justifiable law enforcement or national security reason, he says, the FBI “created false facts so that they could get surveillance warrants. Those are all crimes.” He adds, using official FISA-702 “queries” and surveillance was done “to create a false case against a candidate, and then a president.” In this highly detailed video interview, he holds up an unreported April 2017 99-page FISA court opinion that “describes systematic and on-going violations of the law [by the FBI and their contractors using unauthorized disclosures of raw intelligence on Americans]. This is stunning stuff.” DiGenova thinks Fusion GPS and Crowdstrike, the DNC’s private security firm, were among the redacted contractors of the FBI.

Darrell said...

House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, who knows who the redacted contractors were, may release more information. Was Fusion GPS pitching and funding journalists to run smear and propaganda campaigns for the Democrats? DiGenova says journalists were definitely paid by Fusion GPS. If it is true, he says, “it’s the complete antithesis of American journalism and the first amendment.” -- “Law enforcement is being corrupted and media is being bought,” portends badly he says. Noting the elite media’s supposed outrage about governmental power and institutions during Watergate, diGenova says “the only thing the American journalism community seems to care about now is destroying Donald Trump.”

Darrell said...

In the interview, diGenova discusses the heroism of NSA Admiral Mike Rogers who briefed Trump when he was president-elect, on Nov. 17, 2016 about the controversial governmental surveillance. This resulted, he says, in Trump’s presidential transition being moving out of Trump Tower to Bedminster, N.J., until it could be debugged. The litigator also discusses the Uranium One scandal, the “tainted” Mueller special counsel investigation and the heroism of Nunes, who is under intense pressure from a united Democrat front. DiGenova has no doubt that if Democrats gain control in November, there will be an effort to impeachTrump. The Democrats are trying to delay any efforts by Republicans to find the truth. “It’s important for the House to complete its work now,” he says.

Night Owl said...

The left now accuse Trump of obstruction of justice over something he didn't do-- fire Mueller. At least they're consistent;  they started an investigation of Trump over a crime that doesn't exist, and want to impeach him over something that they can't prove ever happened  -- "collusion".

Drago said...

Darrell: "DiGenova condemned the FBI for working so closely with the controversial Fusion GPS, a political hit squad paid by the DNC and Clinton campaign to create and spread the discredited Steele dossier about President Donald Trump."

Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, the answer to this question (rumors swirling for months now) will tell you almost everything:

Did the FBI/DOJ/NSA allow CrowdStrike (the firm that worked for dems and bleach-bit-ed Hillary's servers AFTER being told not to destroy evidence) and Fusion GPS access, as Contractors, to the secret 702 Raw Data with US Citizen "Incidental capture"?

Given the panic and stone-walling we are seeing from DOJ/FBI on this and the refusal of anyone at CrowdStrike/Fusion to answer the question, I think we are going to find out the answer is "yes".

If so, that will mean that the FBI/DOJ will have allowed the democrat machine oppo researchers direct access to secret data for use in their opposition research of a domestic political opponent.

Full. Stop.

The most sensitive and invasive and 4th amendment violative national security systems and raw data will have been put on the table for Hillary and company to use.

Why, that's the kind of unprecedented spying and domestic espionage/dirty trick operation ever and makes Watergate look like some kid running a lemonade stand.

It's so bad for the dems that LLR Chuck is likely to go back to the 60's and 70's to find more dirt on Trump to distract us with.

I would recommend he do it with a jocular and humorous demeanor to not violate the newly established "ARM Lighten Up On The Internet" Rule.

Churchy LaFemme: said...

Mort Walker musters out..

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Jan 27. Cardinal calling in a tree outside our bedroom window. Eat your heart out, Northerners.

Tank said...

Tonya Harding at her athletic best. She was a powerful and exciting skater.

Curious George said...

"Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...
Jan 27. Cardinal calling in a tree outside our bedroom window. Eat your heart out, Northerners."

Cardinals stick around all winter Hammond.

Meade said...

Why is the common name of Cardinalis cardinalis "Northern Cardinal?" Is there such thing as a "Southern Cardinal?"

Drago said...

Meade: " Is there such thing as a "Southern Cardinal?""

Absolutely.

And he can give you special dispensation to eat as much barbecue as you'd like!

Meade said...

Lucky Hammond (if he likes barbecue).

Hagar said...

The behavior of the "Dreamers" are beyond comprehension, but they were taught that this was the way to go to plead their case in our schools.

Jupiter said...

"Kindness is the excuse SJWs use when they want to control what other people think and say."

Jordan Peterson, on civility bullshit

Sprezzatura said...

"The dog loves sleeping in that light."

Cool. So y'all got yur own 'Shades of Gray' kink thingy going on. Presumably Meade likes his leash.



exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Meade said...

Why is the common name of Cardinalis cardinalis "Northern Cardinal?" Is there such thing as a "Southern Cardinal?"

1/27/18, 4:37 PM

Yes, and there have been quite a few of them. For instance, Ozzie Smith was from Mobile.

Michael K said...

In the interview, diGenova discusses the heroism of NSA Admiral Mike Rogers who briefed Trump when he was president-elect, on Nov. 17, 2016 about the controversial governmental surveillance.

He and Nunes are heroes. Im sure the Democrats will do everything they can to defeat Nunes for this in the election.

rcocean said...

"Add to it that fact that Muelller was the fucking liar that cleared Sandy Berger from the most serious charges. Mueller told everyone that Berger only stole copies--so that it was a trifle."

Wow. So HE was the one?

Yeah, I remember Scumbag Berger. Of course, stealing documents was OK, Berger being a Democrat and all.

Jupiter said...

Michael K said...

"He and Nunes are heroes. I'm sure the Democrats will do everything they can to defeat Nunes for this in the election."

If the situation is as bad as DiGenova describes, I'm not sure they'll wait for an election. I'll bet some hundred-dollar-bills are being dragged through some trailer parks, at a minimum.

Hagar said...

Well, not quite. IIRC, he was fined $50 G's and lost his law license officially, but
privately Billary! bailed him out with an appointment as "scholar in residence" at that double-wide in Little Rock.

Humperdink said...

Darrell said: ""Add to it that fact that Muelller was the f***ing liar that cleared Sandy Berger from the most serious charges. Mueller told everyone that Berger only stole copies--so that it was a trifle."

rcocean responded: "Wow. So HE was the one?"

Swamp rats never leave, do they? What a collection of scumbags we have in the upper levels of the DOJ and the FIB.

Ralph L said...

Comey investigated the Marc Rich pardon.

Humperdink said...

"Comey investigated the Marc Rich pardon."

And Eric "My People" Holder, later to become AG, was the advocate for the Marc Rich pardon.

Jupiter said...

Blogger Ralph L said...
"Comey investigated the Marc Rich pardon."

Yes, and it appears he learned quite a bit from the experience.

People have this idea that Comey is some kind of a Law Enforcement Officer or something. Total bullshit. He was the General Counsel at Northrup for several years, at $6 million a year. He's a filthy-rich, connected swamp critter.

Ralph L said...

I'm guessing the back of Meadhouse is recent, since you're too old to freeze in an artist's studio with Craftsman windows. With those overhangs, your house would almost qualify as Prairie style if it were single story.

My 1920's windows are 6 over 1 also, but most are 3x6 feet.

Ralph L said...

Northrup fired my dad and most of his co-workers right before Christmas. No wonder Comey worked for them.

Ann Althouse said...

“Ann: I'm surprised you haven't taken a shot at the 2018 Grammy nominees...”

Have I ever blogged the Grammys?

In the 60s the Grammys didn’t notice the music I cared about. I’ve never respected them at all . Totally uninterested.

Ann Althouse said...

The back of the house is an addition, nearly 50 years old. Modernish style.

Humperdink said...

The MSU/Larry Nassar story is a double-edged sword for Penn State (my school). On the surface, it looks far worse than what happened in Happy Valley. The shear number of victims who have stepped forward would indicate that. Plus, the basketball and football teams are now getting tangled up in the scandal. The downside is that PSU was moving past their mess and now it's keeps getting mentioned.

The similarities are striking: "I keep hearing the impassioned question of one of the victims, Clasina Syrovy: “When girls came forward and told an adult, the adults didn’t listen. Why didn’t they listen!?”

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2018/01/27/michigan-state-nassar-sexual-assault-couch-sunday-column/1071239001/

Big Mike said...

Comey didn't work for Northrop Grumman (note spelling). He worked for Lockheed Martin, their primary competitor.

Jupiter said...

Big Mike said...
"Comey didn't work for Northrop Grumman (note spelling). He worked for Lockheed Martin, their primary competitor."

If true, my mistake, and thanks for the correction. If false, your mistake, and you can thank me. In either case, swamp. Unless you are suggesting that there is a meaningful difference between them.

narciso said...

More to the point, he wee an o erseer for HSBC, a bank which is right out of the series mcmafia, coming to Mac next month.

Big Mike said...

Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor, and hands down the most sleazy.

And I'm never wrong. Well, okay, I was wrong once. I thought I had made a mistake and it turned out I hadn't.

narciso said...

Fine he was spring gitmo detainees thinking he was officer krupke (Btw they have assigned tony kushner to write the screenplay for the next west side story)

narciso said...

If you dial down the ambient noise:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/942560077726343168.html

Bad Lieutenant said...

Narc, that threadreader shit is entirely too fascinating. What percent real do you give that? It is truly shocking. The lefties here would melt if they read that.

narciso said...

Is say 75% the conjecture is debatable but plausible, as opposed to this totally unsourced garbage Carlos slims has been trawling for the better part of a week

Ralph L said...

I bought a little Martin Marietta stock the day after the 87 crash. It's done very, very well.

narciso said...

Yes you know who Adam schiff for brains dont you, James rogan one of the impeachment managers

Saint Croix said...

So this theater in Russia was showing the comedy, The Death of Stalin, and it turns out he's not dead!

He's not really Stalin. More like mini-Stalin. Or mini-mini-Stalin.

Saint Croix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Saint Croix said...

Here's what Trump should say on twitter.

"I saw Death of Stalin. Funny! I heard Putin didn't like it. Sad!"

Hagar said...

The wonderful world of Gov't contracting is run by Congress.