Althouse: At the Propagation Café...

June 13, 2018

At the Propagation Café...

... let it grow.

And here's the Althouse Portal to Amazon, where you can buy whatever you like.

74 comments:

Gahrie said...: I can't wait to see these on the moon.; 6/13/18, 6:58 PM
Original Mike said...: Chuck Schumer: NK summit was ”what the Texans call ‘all cattle, no hat.’”

We are ruled by idiots.; 6/13/18, 7:03 PM
n.n said...: It's a veritable greenhouse with controlled circulation, green, and viable, with not a windmill in sight.; 6/13/18, 7:13 PM
h said...: Anticipating the release tomorrow of the DoJ IG report, I've read this http://thefederalist.com/2018/06/13/look-inspector-generals-report-doj-fbi-election-interference/

I have one question about her point 2: "The second aspect of the OIG’s investigation focused on “[a]llegations that the FBI Deputy Director should have been recused from participating in certain investigative matters.” Horowitz’s report will likely discuss the FBI’s ethics office decision that recusal was not required, and the FBI’s creation of “talking points” to counter complaints about McCabe’s participation in the Clinton probe.".

On the surface, McCabe appears to have done all the normal (ass covering) things; he asked the FBI's ethics office if he needed to recuse himself, and followed their advice. But here's the actual document on that:

https://vault.fbi.gov/deputy-director-mccabe-ethical-guidance-and-recusal/deputy-director-mccabe-ethical-guidance-and-recusal-part-01-of-01/view

My concern about conflict of interest is this: McCabe's wife got a lot of money from the Clintons or Clinton friends. Therefore McCabe might have been influenced to conduct an investigation into any allegations about Hillary Clinton that was a relatively friendly investigation. The ethical guidance, as I read it, does not really address this concern. Rather it says: Mrs. McCabe's candidacy ended in 2015; Mr. McCabe did not become deputy director until 2016; therefore there could be no conflict of interest. "In Feb 2016, McCabe became deputy director and began overseeing the Clinton investigation."

I will read responding comments that can point out if I am missing something here.; 6/13/18, 7:14 PM
Big Mike said...: @Original Mike, consider the possibility that Schumer was right. Accidentally right, but right nonetheless.

I note, in passing, that Schumer is wearing a hat in the picture, but he is not known to own any cattle.; 6/13/18, 7:17 PM
mockturtle said...: World Cup. I've hated soccer all my life but I may actually watch, since I'm stuck at home right now and it's too hot to go outside. So, all you FIFA fans, which are the teams to watch? Who are the dark horse teams?

Of course the US Open [golf] is on this weekend, too, so that'll be a bigger priority. But I assume the World Cup will go on for a while, like the Stanley Cup did.; 6/13/18, 7:21 PM
readering said...: The most interesting World Cup story is Spain. A pre-tournament favorite, they missed the vote for 2026 today because the delegation flew home to fire the team manager for secretly signing with Real Madrid weeks after signing a contract extension. How will they do with the substitute?; 6/13/18, 7:24 PM
Gahrie said...: The World Cup will last weeks. The Germans are heavy favorites, traditionally Brazil does well. The darkhorse is Belgium. The Cinderella is Iceland.; 6/13/18, 7:25 PM
Big Mike said...: So, all you FIFA fans, which are the teams to watch? Who are the dark horse teams?

Brazil is always fun to watch.; 6/13/18, 7:30 PM
Ann Althouse said...: It’s not a greenhouse. It’s a shadehouse. That’s netting, not glass.; 6/13/18, 7:34 PM
tcrosse said...: The Propaganda of the Plants.; 6/13/18, 7:34 PM
mockturtle said...: Thanks for the tips. My enthusiasm may be influenced by the team with the hottest-looking players. ;-); 6/13/18, 7:37 PM
Gahrie said...: Brazil is always fun to watch.

It was definitely fun to watch them play the Germans four years ago.....; 6/13/18, 7:37 PM
rehajm said...: The Yale commencement from the couple pretending to beak up was good. There may have been an anti-Trump rant there somewhere too but I didn’t see it...; 6/13/18, 7:39 PM
Hagar said...: I see that the Democrats are proposing legislation to prevent Trump from removing any troops (or materiel?) from the Korean peninsula or making any peace settlement without US Senate approval.

What is this about? It is their war and they will not allow Trump to end it?

Besides probably being thoroughly unconstitutional.; 6/13/18, 7:41 PM
madAsHell said...: I will read responding comments that can point out if I am missing something here.

Hmmmm......crickets?

Didn't McCabe fail to report the campaign donation to his wife's campaign?; 6/13/18, 7:45 PM
Hagar said...: I still don't see that either side "gave away" anything at the Singapore Summit.

But North Korea TV showed Kim smiling and shaking hands with Trump and promising to play nice, and that is new and difficult for Kim to walk back. In North Korea, that is.; 6/13/18, 7:47 PM
madAsHell said...: I like Honey Crisp apples. I bought a tree.

It turns out that Honey Crisp is susceptible to.......well......everything. Last season, the apples were riddled with Codling Moth larvae. This season, I have set pheromone traps, and wrapped several apples in sandwich bags.

I'm just hoping that the sandwich bags wasn't some Internet hoax!!; 6/13/18, 7:50 PM
Big Mike said...: @Gahrie, I saw that match! It seemed that after Germany's second goal some of the Brazilians just quit right there on the field.; 6/13/18, 7:52 PM
Michael K said...: "What is this about? It is their war and they will not allow Trump to end it?"

They started it and it is only fair that they try to keep it going.; 6/13/18, 8:09 PM
narciso said...: Cosevilla had an insightful review of an account by hw brands 're Truman and MacArthur, which he concluded is a false narrative.; 6/13/18, 8:11 PM
narciso said...: Ah this is it:

http://www.claremont.org/crb/article/the-tipping-point/; 6/13/18, 8:12 PM
Sebastian said...: The latest from Andrew McCarthy, "Rosenstein Feeling the Heat," for the Dick Durbin Republicans out there:

"It would violate separation-of-powers principles for an executive official to attempt to use law-enforcement powers to infringe on the constitutionally protected power of lawmakers to consult and deliberate over legislative activity."; 6/13/18, 8:21 PM
n.n said...: shadehouse

So it is.; 6/13/18, 8:26 PM
Henry said...: Propagation, propaganda,
Eucalyptus giant panda,
Shadehouse, Roadhouse, Patrick Swayze,
Ben Gazzara, Big Lebowski.; 6/13/18, 8:35 PM
buwaya said...: Spain has the hottest-looking fans.
Myself among them.; 6/13/18, 8:39 PM
readering said...: Trump interviewed today about the Kim summit talks about bringing back remains of MIAs. He sasys so many people came up to him in the campaign and said, "We'd love our son to be brought back home, the remains."

My uncle served in the Korean War. Today he is 90. Trump could only have talked to my grandparents about their son when Trump was in grade school.; 6/13/18, 8:42 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “The Propaganda of the Plants.”

That’s exactly what I thought I saw for a split second when reading this blogpost title.; 6/13/18, 8:42 PM
mockturtle said...: Spain has the hottest-looking fans.
Myself among them.

I believe you, buwaya! I'll check out the players, too.; 6/13/18, 8:42 PM
Michael K said...: My uncle served in the Korean War. Today he is 90. Trump could only have talked to my grandparents about their son when Trump was in grade school.

What in the world are you talking about?

Do you even read what you post ?; 6/13/18, 8:58 PM
mockturtle said...: Readering, in your own post you stated that people came up to him during the campaign! This would have been two years ago.; 6/13/18, 9:02 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Readering made perfect sense. Maybe only lefties can understand her? I got exactly what she said, lol.; 6/13/18, 9:02 PM
narciso said...: It seemed to make sense to him.

Korea was one of those wars were we weren't allowed to win, one wonders why it fought then.; 6/13/18, 9:04 PM
readering said...: This whole exchange makes no sense. Who says I'm a girl? (Plus my Uncle's parents would be the oldest Americans alive if they were alive today.); 6/13/18, 9:06 PM
Henry said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/13/18, 9:07 PM
mockturtle said...: I guess what readering meant was that the parents of a Korean War casualty would be too old to be talking to Trump in 2016. But what Trump probably meant was that parents of Vietnam War casualties had requested remains and Trump is taking the extra step of requesting remains from Korea, as well. Sorry if I misunderstood your statement.; 6/13/18, 9:11 PM
Henry said...: My uncle served in the Korean war, but is still alive. People are long lived on that side of the family.

My wife's uncle died in Vietnam. Her father served at the same time, but never saw combat.

My wife's cousin died in a small plane crash 30 years later. The reception after the funeral was held at the local VFW post. My wife's uncle's picture was there on the wall.

Things don't have to made into some kind of larger point.; 6/13/18, 9:12 PM
Fabi said...: "It’s not a greenhouse. It’s a shadehouse. That’s netting, not glass."

I haven't heard of a shadehouse. I've heard of shade-grown -- Connecticut shade wrappers for cigars -- but not a shadehouse. Thanks, Ann!; 6/13/18, 9:16 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “Who says I'm a girl?”

Oh so sorry! But that could be seen as a compliment.; 6/13/18, 9:24 PM
Henry said...: Or complement.; 6/13/18, 9:37 PM
FullMoon said...: Proposition to split California into three states makes ballot.
Expect enough voters to vote yes, for fun, to pass the measure.
Buwaya,Bay area guy, etc, are you in?; 6/13/18, 9:37 PM
Henry said...: @FullMoon. That would be awesome.

I personally want to make make Rhode Island part of Massachusetts. I love Rhode Island, but it's a completely disfunctional state.

There should be a population limit on state size.; 6/13/18, 9:43 PM
Henry said...: A min and a max.; 6/13/18, 9:44 PM
FullMoon said...: Henry said...

@FullMoon. That would be awesome.

I personally want to make make Rhode Island part of Massachusetts. I love Rhode Island, but it's a completely disfunctional state.

There should be a population limit on state size.

If it passes, I can leave Ca, without leaving Ca.
Gonna need two new names, and may be a fight over who gets to keep original California name. Obviously, souther Ca becomes La La Land.; 6/13/18, 9:48 PM
FullMoon said...: We should go all out, make each existing county a seperate state.; 6/13/18, 9:49 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Or complement.

Yeah that too.; 6/13/18, 9:51 PM
mockturtle said...: Proposition to split California into three states makes ballot.
Expect enough voters to vote yes, for fun, to pass the measure.
Buwaya,Bay area guy, etc, are you in?

DBQ has pointed out the dangerous flaws in this plan. A: Northern California's capital would be SF. B: The three Californias, all carefully jerrymandered to remain in Progressive hands, would then have six US Senators instead of two. Bad news for all of us. Luckily, it would have to be ratified by Congress and the other states.; 6/13/18, 9:54 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: It’s not going to happen. There aren’t nearly enough votes to make it a reality.; 6/13/18, 9:58 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Why has the Trump family been paying for Cohen’s lawyers?; 6/13/18, 10:00 PM
FullMoon said...: DBQ has pointed out the dangerous flaws in this plan. A: Northern California's capital would be SF. B: The three Californias, all carefully jerrymandered to remain in Progressive hands, would then have six US Senators instead of two. Bad news for all of us. Luckily, it would have to be ratified by Congress and the other states.

Of course it is stupid. Nobody expects it to happen, which is exactly why people might vote for it, just to see how many votes it gets, for fun.
Kinda like voting for Bernie, or Jill Stein.Lotsa dummies did that because Hillary was a lock, right?; 6/13/18, 10:02 PM
FIDO said...: Could we at least give San Diego and LA back to Mexico?

Show of hands?; 6/13/18, 10:03 PM
FullMoon said...: Inga said...

Why has the Trump family been paying for Cohen’s lawyers?

6/13/18, 10:00 PM

Because they have a lot of money and he doesn't?; 6/13/18, 10:04 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “Because they have a lot of money and he doesn't?”

Maybe because they want to keep him loyal.; 6/13/18, 10:07 PM
FullMoon said...: nga said...

“Because they have a lot of money and he doesn't?”

Maybe because they want to keep him loyal.

Maybe because they are generous.; 6/13/18, 10:12 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Well they just cut him off, lol.; 6/13/18, 10:14 PM
FullMoon said...: Inga said...

Well they just cut him off, lol.

6/13/18, 10:14 PM

Guess they are not worried about his loyalty, then.; 6/13/18, 10:16 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Maybe they know he’s going to flip and they aren’t going to waste their money.; 6/13/18, 10:23 PM
FullMoon said...: Inga said...

Maybe they know he’s going to flip and they aren’t going to waste their money.

6/13/18, 10:23 PM

Maybe there is nothing to flip about.; 6/13/18, 10:29 PM
pacwest said...: @h

McCabe was promoted to #3 in July 15. About the same time the Clinton investigation started. His wife got the money shortly thereafter.

My understanding is that he did not need to recuse himself because he did not have an 'oversight role' per the FBI. I have not seen an explanation on exactly what influence he did have, just that he was not the lead, which seems to be the basis of his non-recusal.

There is some additional ass covering later after he became Deputy Director, but if he is dirty it appears to have been while he was #3.

Not sure if this helps.; 6/13/18, 10:30 PM
daskol said...: Please watch Sy Hersh on Don Lemon right now trying to hijack the CNN airwaves desperately trying to inform cognitively aware people about Trump. He was on to promote his book, which he didn't mention at all, because he was desperately trying to convince Don Lemon that he was inadvertantly making Trump great. great, great TV. great TV.; 6/13/18, 11:01 PM
readering said...: Inga, one of my allies, no offense taken (but I do enjoy the creeps who address me as he/she/it).

As for Trump's statement, it bears no analysis/explanation except that it's more of him making shit up as he goes along.; 6/13/18, 11:27 PM
Mr. Groovington said...: mockturtle said...
So, all you FIFA fans, which are the teams to watch? Who are the dark horse teams?

I'd go with Uruguay, if you want to back a country based on its ability to govern with measurable success, and they have a remote chance. Several bookies have them reaching the top 8.

If your Spanish is good, the best place I've seen so far to move to, if moving is a must. I was a little shocked by it, after travelling around Latin America for 18 months. They run a very tight ship, despite liberal tendencies. Military rule ended in 1985.

Very white. The mestizo population is very low. One of Latin America's many horrifying examples of genocide happened at Salsipuedes. So you have to get over wondering where the indigenous population went.; 6/14/18, 12:39 AM
Mr. Groovington said...: buwaya said...
Spain has the hottest-looking fans.
Myself among them.

Whoa! The Colombians, by a mile.; 6/14/18, 12:46 AM
Mr. Groovington said...: Henry said...
Or complement.

Or condiment.; 6/14/18, 12:51 AM
Seeing Red said...: DeBlasio might be having a bad week.

City must pay at least $1B to fix NYCHA nightmare after feds cite Daily News reports exposing the agency’s lies on housing conditions

NYCHA managers have for years used carefully crafted lies and elaborate deception to cover up the squalid condition of public housing, filing false documents, tricking federal inspectors and betraying the 400,000 tenants who have long endured heartbreaking conditions and the growing sense that nothing will ever change.
A blistering complaint made public Monday by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman ripped the lid off the New York City Housing Authority’s longstanding culture of deceit, revealing a bureaucratic tradition of lying about NYCHA’s failures to address everything from toxic lead paint to mold infestation to rat burrows....; 6/14/18, 1:01 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: "Korea was one of those wars were we weren't allowed to win, one wonders why it fought then."

As I understand it (being far from an expert), we may have screwed up, assuming that the ChiComs wouldn't intervene to help the NORKs. As I understand it, we intervened when the North invaded the South. We then pushed most of the way to the Chinese border, at which time, they intervened with a large army, and pushed us back beyond the original line. During that time is when, I think, McArther wanted to use nukes, but was overruled by Truman, then, after insubordination, was fired. Then, with great difficulty, we pushed back to the original line, and, with both sides exhausted, did the cease fire that is still in effect some 65 years later.

Not sure what where we weren't allowed to win, except for Truman's decision not to use nuclear weapons. Maybe that we didn't attack China directly. But that would have been a huge endeavor, a half decade after we had destroyed huge numbers of planes, ships, tanks, etc, at the end of WW II. We would have been attacking the most populous country in the world, armed by and allied with, the third most populous country, that had come out of WW II with huge stores of weapons and a lot of trained, battle hardened, troops. We weren't willing to fight them in Europe, so were unlikely to fight them in Asia, where we had no effective allies and long supply lines.; 6/14/18, 2:41 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: My prediction with McCabe is that he will get dinged for failure no to adequately disclose the contributions to his wife's campaign, but at worst, get a mild scolding for his failure to recuse himself from the Crooked Hillary email scandal. He almost seems to have been trying to play this straight.

The real culpability that we have seen here, with the Clinton email investigation seems to have been with Strzok and Page, who maybe trying to directly exonerate her, and make sure that Trump, whom both despised, lost, but rather just make sure that Clinton, known to be highly vendictive, didn't remember them unfondly, when she was elected, as everyone assumed that she would be. In other words, it wasn't out of love for Clinton noon, or fear of Trump, but rather out of being in abject fear of Clinton. We shall see.

What is going to be fascinating in tomorrow's OIG report, is that the one guy we know who was at the center of the email investigation, and who admittedly knowingly slanted the investigation in her favor, is Peter Strzok. But he is in an interesting position. At the center of all these FBI and DoJ scandals are not not two people who are still employed there: Bill Priestap, FBI Dir of Counterintelligence, and his assistant at the time, Peter Strzok. Everyone else really, has been fired or allowed to retire. Priestap is still in the same position, so presumably was an early, and maybe even eager, cooperator. Strzok though has been demoted and reassigned twice. Yet he is still there, despite having admitted in his text messages with Page to have committed Obstruction of Justice, as well as Hatch Act violations. That is going to be hard to whitewash. My guess for the reason that he is still at the FBI (and still has a security clearance) is that he is essential for unraveling the next phase of the IG's investigation: FISA abuse. So, what is going to be interesting is to see how Strzok is described in the OIG report due out in 11 hours to the public.

The other thing to watch is to see how much of the report was redacted. Congress is going to demand that they see the report before redactions, and before all of the still employed players got to request changes to the report. I fully expect a lot of hanky pansy here on the part of the DoJ and FBI, and that getting those unredacted documents from them will be worse than pulled no teeth. There have been allegations that Trump has already at least had drafted an EO declassifying the whole thing. I think that optimistic. We shall see.; 6/14/18, 3:13 AM
h said...: Replying to PacWest at 10:30. THanks for your reply.

I am sure that the FBI timeline linked in my earlier comment says McCabe was elevated to Deputy Director in 2016, not 2015. I think he had an earlier promotion to (I think) special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office (which I gather is the pre-eminent position for FBI agents in the field -- i.e., not working in FBI headquarters). But the Washington Field Office was not conducting the Clinton email investigation, so no need for recusal then. So: in period 1, you are giving my wife a lot of money, but I'm not investigating you; in period 2, I'm investigating you but you are no longer giving my wife money. It seems to me that I should recuse myself in this situation, but the FBI ethics office seems to have made the opposite conclusion.; 6/14/18, 5:39 AM
Ann Althouse said...: I think "shade house" is usually written as 2 words. I like one word to correspond to "greenhouse," but I guess more time needs to pass, with more familiarity, for the 2 words to come together. There needs to be a transition period with a hyphen — "shade-house." I like the one word though.

Your friend,

Alt House.; 6/14/18, 6:47 AM
daskol said...: I like the Italians. When World Cup was last in the US, they bunked in a hotel near my house. Had a friend who worked there. The Italians like to eat, like to drink and like to have a really good time. The pool scene at the Somerset Hills Hotel has never seen the likes of it. And they play decent soccer too.; 6/14/18, 6:59 AM
daskol said...: Bruce Hayden: that's very impressive. Do you have any thoughts on how the market might do tomorrow?; 6/14/18, 7:47 AM
pacwest said...: H,
#3 in 2015, Deputy in 2016 is my understanding. Also, he was in a position to influence in 2015.

This is per Grassley.; 6/14/18, 8:01 AM
campy said...: I like the Italians.

They didn't make the tourney this time.; 6/14/18, 8:38 AM
readering said...: Italy missed out for first time in 60 years.; 6/14/18, 8:39 AM