Althouse: At the Late Night Cafe...

August 13, 2018

At the Late Night Cafe...

... talk, talk, talk.

79 comments:

mccullough said...: I watching baseball just like Donald Hall did; 8/13/18, 9:20 PM
Clyde said...: Yesterday, I said that The Crack Emcee's song reminded me of a Dead Milkmen song, "Instant Club Hit (You'll Dance To Anything)", but on reflection, I think I had the wrong one. The one it reminds me of is "Tugena," off the album Big Lizard In My Backyard (1985). I think it's because of the repetition of the sampled vocal loops, since there's no similarity between the musical styles.; 8/13/18, 9:23 PM
traditionalguy said...: Happy 36th birthday to Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She is a big favorite around our house.; 8/13/18, 9:24 PM
Humperdink said...: One by one the Obama era FBI leadership team (*cough) is disappearing from the organizational chart. Unprecedented in US history. If the swamp is to be drained, might as well start with the corrupt FBI.; 8/13/18, 9:30 PM
stephen cooper said...: I watched some baseball tonight, too, Atlanta and Detroit (two different games) and thought of Donald Hall, too.

There have been ten thousand or so people since 1900 who made a good living off baseball and not a single one has written, as far as I know, one single good poem.

Kiner used to be fairly poetic (the confluence of three rivers in Pittsburgh, that sort of thing, repeated with awareness of the repetitions) and Keith Hernandez and a few other current announcers are gifted with an ability to speak in an interesting way, often with deep insight, but not only are there no modern day Dantes among our post-1900 MLB players and announcers, among all ten thousand of them or so there are not even any modern day Guido Calacantis or modern day Giovanni Bellis. Imagine "oh for four" as a bad day as a ballplayer who wants to get a hit, these guys are oh for ten thousand lifetimes in the simple task of writing one little decent poem in their native language. Sad!; 8/13/18, 9:34 PM
Bill, Republic of Texas said...: The next time Strzok complains he was fired for political reasons we should tell him that there is no "documented" evidence Trump's bias directly influenced his firing.; 8/13/18, 9:36 PM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: One by one the Obama era FBI leadership team (*cough) is disappearing from the organizational chart. Unprecedented in US history. If the swamp is to be drained, might as well start with the corrupt FBI.

Unfortunately, I suspect all this is impacting things Trump wants and need to do. For instance, how could he trust the FBI to clean up Chicago by going after the gangs with RICO, Federal "deprived of their civil rights" investigations for the victims etc when he's seen what a hostile clown show the bureau is?; 8/13/18, 9:38 PM
Unknown said...: How are you doing with that motor assisted bicycle? You haven't mentioned it lately.; 8/13/18, 9:45 PM
stephen cooper said...: People make fun of good poems, you can live a long and wonderful life without ever writing one or even reading one.

But if you can't write a good poem, or do something equivalent, don't let people call you an "Icon"

God loves people who are not "icons" just as much as he would if they were "icons", of course

As I grow older I make less fun of good poems and remember more about wonderful lives that had nothing to do with success; 8/13/18, 9:46 PM
The Godfather said...: My hope for the FBI is that recently it's the scum that rises to the top, not the cream. With people like Strzok and Page and Comey gone, the morale of the agency may improve, and those who care about the institution and its mission and the country it's supposed to serve may rescue it. I'd like to see the President take a more pro-active role in encouraging that development.; 8/13/18, 9:47 PM
Humperdink said...: Recall in my younger days, the story of Ralph Kiner (Pittsburgh Pirates) asking GM Branch Rickey for a raise. Kiner had led the league in HR's the previous season, but the Buccos finished in last place. Upon hearing Kiner's request for a raise, Rickey is reported to have responded: "We finished in last place with you Ralph, we can in last place without you".; 8/13/18, 9:47 PM
Humperdink said...: The FBI/DOJ crisis causes one to question how many other investigations over the years have a political taint to them.

Scooter Libby to name one. Or anything with Andrew Weissmann's name on it.; 8/13/18, 9:53 PM
stephen cooper said...: Humperdinck - I bet Ralph Kiner is the guy you heard that story from. Wonderful story-teller, at his best sort of like a less funny but equally interesting WC Fields.

I am in a nostalgic mood tonight because Aretha Franklin, about whom all I know is that she sings really well, is "gravely ill".; 8/13/18, 9:54 PM
Humperdink said...: More nostalgia: The Pirates beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series in 7 games. The Yanks won three games with scores of 16-3, 10-0, and 12-0. The Pirate wins were pretty much squeakers.

After the game 7 win with Mazeroski's walk-off homer, part-time Pirate infielder Gino Cimoli quipped: "They broke all the records, we won the game (i.e. the series)".; 8/13/18, 10:05 PM
Sydney said...: It’s true that The smaller the stakes the more vicious the politics. Look at what’s happening in medieval studies.; 8/13/18, 10:10 PM
Sebastian said...: #MeToo boomerangs again, this time to hit Keith Ellison.; 8/13/18, 10:13 PM
Humperdink said...: Mickey Mantle batted .400 in the 1960 series. Hard to believe there were several Yankees with higher batting averages. Bobby Richardson (Yankees) had 12 RBI in the 1960 series. A record that still stands.; 8/13/18, 10:15 PM
stephen cooper said...: The first year I was aware of baseball cards was 1968 and Bill Mazeroski was on a baseball card that year. Because he had a Polish name I remember what it looked like brand new. Several other past their prime veterans of the 1960 World Series were on baseball cards that year (I could name the ones who were on baseball cards in following years, too, but that would be showing off....)

Also, in that year (1968) Aretha Franklin was still young, and not obese, and with extremely intelligent eyes. When people talked about how beautiful Mrs Obama was I knew they did not really think so because I remember how beautiful Aretha Franklin was when she was young. Nothing against Mrs Obama or anyone who thinks she was pretty but, as far as I know, she did not ever have that beautiful look in her eyes that Aretha Franklin had back in the day. If you want to double-check, the most popular youtube video of "Say a Little prayer for you" has about 10 really good photographs of her (Aretha Franklin) in the first minute of the song.; 8/13/18, 10:20 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: My youngest kid (high schooler) has rummaged through my old baseball card collection. I got '52 Mays, a buncha Mantles, a buncha Aarons, rookie Yazstremski (1960). He says he priced them according to a PSA guide, and said they're worth a couple hundred grand.

I'm rich!

But the dealer he found wants me to send the collection to him, so he can evaluate the condition of the cards, before making an offer. I feel I am going to get schlonged.; 8/13/18, 10:21 PM
stephen cooper said...: Bay Area Guy - lots of old random cards of players almost nobody has heard of are worth a lot if they are in really good condition. It is complicated, get a few opinions, not just from dealers but from an auction house and from an insurance firm that specializes in insuring collectables. Good luck!

Bonus trivia - when I was younger, back in the 90s, I met a nice young woman at a party and we talked for awhile and she was impressed that I knew who Carl Yazstremski was. She was a good friend of one of his kids. For my part, I was impressed that she was so unimpressed with him that she mostly thought of him as the (rich) father of one of her friends and really had no idea how famous he was.; 8/13/18, 10:40 PM
stephen cooper said...: She knew he was a successful guy because he had a beautiful big fishing boat. I told her he was a Triple Crown winner.

She needed me to explain to her what a Triple Crown winner was.; 8/13/18, 10:41 PM
AustinRoth said...: OMG! This is IT! They finally have a truly impeachable offense on Trump.

He was photographed with a biker that had a patch on that was in favor of guns and titties. A BIKER! I thought they were the most woke people on the planet.

http://dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Screen-Shot-2018-08-13-at-3.47.22-PM-620x629.png; 8/13/18, 11:15 PM
Michael Fitzgerald said...: Stephen Cooper, a while ago I watched the 1971 MLB All Star game. They broadcast a pregame interview with Yaz and he's asked to comment on rumors that he was pulling the strings, getting guys benched and traded and so forth. Yaz was pissed!

1971 was tough year for Yastrzemski. He had 1 home run at the All Star break and ended up hitting .254. The Boston media tortured Yaz that year.; 8/14/18, 12:08 AM
eddie willers said...: I watched some baseball tonight, too, Atlanta

So did I. Ronald Acuna Jr., like Big Al, hits dingers.; 8/14/18, 12:27 AM
eddie willers said...: Apparently, I don't know how to link to a "Tweet". Here's Big Al on youtube.; 8/14/18, 12:29 AM
Trumpit said...: I've heard that Aretha Franklin is on her last legs. She'll be leaving behind a racist country that didn't deserve her. She was wonderful.; 8/14/18, 1:00 AM
Humperdink said...: Trumpit, it appears you have many axes to grind. Being angry 24/7 is no way to go through life.; 8/14/18, 1:24 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/14/18, 5:23 AM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Sorry if someone else has already posted this thought, but I wonder if someone paid Omarosa in advance for what she did? Considering "the Resistance" and the lengths to which it is willing to go, it's not out-of-the question. Although I expect that the recordings would probably have surfaced sooner.; 8/14/18, 5:25 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/14/18, 5:35 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/14/18, 5:48 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/14/18, 5:50 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/14/18, 5:53 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/14/18, 5:55 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: I give up - Later.; 8/14/18, 5:55 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: The thing about technology is, if you don't have somebody who knows what they're doing - or the cash to hire such a person -you're just throwing money down the toilet.; 8/14/18, 6:15 AM
Paco Wové said...: Here's Sydney's link, fixed: Middle Rages – Why the battle for Medieval Studies matters to America. Somehow the Althouse URL got mangled into the original link.

A good and detailed article. I would have edited out some of the bits about Islam as irrelevant filler, but overall quite interesting.; 8/14/18, 6:20 AM
CStanley said...: One by one the Obama era FBI leadership team (*cough) is disappearing from the organizational chart. Unprecedented in US history. If the swamp is to be drained, might as well start with the corrupt FBI.

One problem may be that the rot started in the CIA, i think. I've seen it reported-don't know about accuracy - that Strzok was CIA and FBI.

It's been said that "the FBI catches bank robbers, the CIA robs banks." It sure seems like the D.C. FBI agents decided to get in the bank robbing business.; 8/14/18, 6:24 AM
wildswan said...: Story after story featuring Trump and beautiful women - so damaging, thinks the left.

Story after story about leading Democratic candidate X running for President like a gerbil in a spin triathlon while Hillary lies coiled and silent at the finish line.

Story after story about Mueller being ghastly - dawn raids, solitary confinement, open threats.

Under a blazing sun
Woven together with thin threads of credible incredibility

The Big Summer Blockbuster / Beach Book 2018

Passing away like shadow and dream.; 8/14/18, 6:37 AM
Hagar said...: Why is Meghan Markle's family trying to destroy her?
Why is the Daily Mail et al. doing this?
Who is using whom and why?; 8/14/18, 6:52 AM
Sydney said...: Thank you, Paco Wove, I didn’t realize the link was bad.; 8/14/18, 6:52 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Happy 36th birthday to Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She is a big favorite around our house."

Oh, she's your wife, is she?; 8/14/18, 7:00 AM
Robert Cook said...: "My hope for the FBI is that recently it's the scum that rises to the top, not the cream. With people like Strzok and Page and Comey gone, the morale of the agency may improve, and those who care about the institution and its mission and the country it's supposed to serve may rescue it."

It's always been a corrupt, self-serving agency, and not as competent as the agency's own myth-making would have us believe. De-fund it and end it.; 8/14/18, 7:03 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Trumpit, it appears you have many axes to grind. Being angry 24/7 is no way to go through life."

No, it's not, but given the state of things today, it's understandable why someone would be.; 8/14/18, 7:06 AM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: Sometimes I am convinced that Trumpit is a performance artist, sometimes I think he is a legitimate nutjob. If he is a performance artist, hats off my man.; 8/14/18, 7:18 AM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: I hardly ever watch local news in Vermont, but I did today, and they are treating that 14 year old like any other candidate.; 8/14/18, 7:34 AM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: What’s striking from the numbers, at least as far as I can see, is not how much support Trump has lost but how, given the daily barrage of tweets and countertweets; ugly chants and ugly corruption trials (his campaign chairman); intense criticism in the media; all-out war in Congress; and foreign policy flubs and domestic failures, much remains firm, and how tough he will be to beat. . - Susan Estrich

Dismissing the first part of her list as just an inventory of Democratic tactics to reverse an election they don't like, I ask: What are his "foreign policy flubs and domestic failures"?

It seems like anytime Democrat policies are defeated, it's a "failure" for Trump....; 8/14/18, 7:43 AM
exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...: Humperdink said...

Recall in my younger days, the story of Ralph Kiner (Pittsburgh Pirates) asking GM Branch Rickey for a raise."

Branch Rickey's dedication to integrating baseball and his championing of Jackie Robinson were admirable. But Rickey was also a notorious cheapskate when it came to paying his players.; 8/14/18, 7:53 AM
MadisonMan said...: No, it's not, but given the state of things today, it's understandable why someone would be

I disagree. It is a choice to be angry. Being angry 24/7 is unhealthy, and any sane person would choose differently.; 8/14/18, 8:01 AM
Sebastian said...: "No, it's not, but given the state of things today, it's understandable why someone would be."

Sure, there are plenty of reasons to be angry. But the "state of things" is better now than it was two years ago: growth, employment, incomes, and stocks are up (debt too, but who ever cared about that?), we are pressuring the bad guys (Putin, Xi, Erdogan, the mullahs, Kim--sure, it can backfire, esp. in trade, but the jury is out), and the outrageous machinations of the swamp are getting exposed in a way they would not have been under Hill (and Dems would have appreciated as of a few years ago, when they still were skeptical of the FBI and the CIA).

I suspect you care less about one other improvement--top-notch people are getting appointed to the courts (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, a bunch of rising stars at lower levels). Defense getting stronger, regulations dialed back, Mulvaney putting the clamps on CFPB--more good stuff.; 8/14/18, 8:05 AM
Hagar said...: Why is using the "N-word" once a worse offense against humanity than torturing and killing any number of people in the most brutally inhumane ways imaginable?; 8/14/18, 8:13 AM
exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...: Unbelievable.

"The children discovered at an “extremist Muslim” compound in New Mexico earlier this month were both trained to use firearms and taught multiple tactical techniques in order to kill teachers, law enforcement and other institutions they found corrupt, state prosecutors revealed on Monday.

The prosecutors provided more details about the accusations during a court hearing in which they asked that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and four other defendants be held pending trial on child abuse charges.

But the judge in the case ruled against prosecutors’ request.

Judge Sarah Backus said although she was concerned by "troubling facts," prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats to the community.

She set a $20,000 bond for each defendant and ordered that they wear ankle monitors and have weekly contact with their attorneys.

Is this judge corrupt or simply stupid beyond belief?; 8/14/18, 8:24 AM
MadisonMan said...: Branch Rickey is such a great name.; 8/14/18, 8:26 AM
narciso said...: At the tail end of apelbaums link, he calls in an alpha strike in Dave cay Johnson, he latter did a Roberto duran.; 8/14/18, 8:27 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: CStanley said...

It's been said that "the FBI catches bank robbers, the CIA robs banks." It sure seems like the D.C. FBI agents decided to get in the bank robbing business.

The CIA's domain is foreign affairs, where they get the fun job of overthrowing governments. The FBI's purview is domestic affairs, but they wanted in on the fun.; 8/14/18, 8:27 AM
narciso said...: Apelbaum is computer forensics, I would bet he would leave crowdstrikes shaun Henry in the dust.; 8/14/18, 8:30 AM
Ralph L said...: they get the fun job of overthrowing governments

If only they could.; 8/14/18, 8:33 AM
narciso said...: Their oss predecessor arranged a hit on general Darlan the quarrelsome Vichy leader,; 8/14/18, 8:33 AM
narciso said...: Their vaunted success, in Guatemala and Iran, made them overconfidence, arbenz was like a scared puppy, mossadecq had ticked off two nests of wasps, who would topple the Shah 25 years later.; 8/14/18, 8:36 AM
narciso said...: They prevented the communists from taking over in Italy and France, but that's not the same thing.; 8/14/18, 8:40 AM
CStanley said...: I don't think there's been enough attention to CIA involvement.

And then on the FBI side, there's also their probable cover up of Clinton Foundation crimes. Does anyone know the accuracy of the claim that Strzok's wife at SEC is involved? It strikes me that this might have been what the insurance policy was mainly about.; 8/14/18, 9:37 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Sure, there are plenty of reasons to be angry. But the 'state of things' is better now than it was two years ago...."

So you say. I don't see it. There's a lot of feel-good talk, but things are still essentially in shit shape. They talk about Wall Street "soaring," yet my 401K retirement earnings are moderately lower today than they were at the end of December 2017. There's been no net gain. Many people don't have pensions of any kind, and so whatever money is being made on Wall Street does not help them.

Employment up? How do we know? Because "unemployment" is down? This is just a measure of how they count "unemployment," and does not correspond to actual levels of employment. Of the jobs that have been created, how many of them are substantial, well-paying jobs with benefits (health insurance, pensions or 401K plans, paid time off, etc.) and how many are part-time jobs, temp jobs, service jobs in retail or food and beverage, and so on, that pay minimum wage or barely better, offer few or no benefits, and offer no security? Young people today are being buried under student loan debt, and many have no hope of ever owning their own homes, (many young adults still live with their parents).

A good many people today, perhaps a majority, can finance their lives only through debt: they don't actually have the money NOW to pay for all their wants and needs, so they incur debt they may never be able to pay.

We're still squandering trillions of dollars on pointless, baseless, criminal mass-killing abroad, and in inserting our troops in distant lands around the world. We've got (another) lying con-man in the White House, who is different from his predecessors (and opponent in the last election) only in that he is more direct and blunt (one might say "honest") in revealing his utter depravity and utter lack of fitness to serve the people.

I think we're heading for global catastrophe within this century, with much war, ecological ruin, death, starvation, privation, destruction, and misery to come.; 8/14/18, 9:55 AM
CStanley said...: Strzok learns of the Hillary emails on the Weiner laptop Oct 12, 2016.

Melissa Hodgman appointed #2 SEC Enforcement Oct 14, 2016.; 8/14/18, 9:56 AM
Robert Cook said...: "I suspect you care less about one other improvement--top-notch people are getting appointed to the courts (Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, a bunch of rising stars at lower levels). Defense getting stronger, regulations dialed back, Mulvaney putting the clamps on CFPB--more good stuff."

I see all the above as more of the "bad stuff."; 8/14/18, 9:56 AM
PM said...: Was an altar boy serving Mass when Mazeroski hit that homer. The priest stopped the proceedings to announce it. He was competent enough to perform a transubstantiation while wearing an earphone.; 8/14/18, 10:29 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Robert Cook said...

Many people don't have pensions of any kind, and so whatever money is being made on Wall Street does not help them.

Sure. In exactly the same way that the stock market crash of '29 didn't hurt such people.; 8/14/18, 10:39 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Teller said...

He was competent enough to perform a transubstantiation while wearing an earphone.

Maybe he skipped it that week. Are you sure you'd be able to taste the difference?; 8/14/18, 10:40 AM
PM said...: I-is-B: Hadn't gone to confession that week so couldn't verify.; 8/14/18, 10:46 AM
David53 said...: @Robert Cook

"My 401K retirement earnings are moderately lower today than they were at the end of December 2017."

You must have a bad 401K. I rolled my 401Ks and 403b over to IRAs about ten years ago. Since Trump was elected it's been phenominal, my only regret is that I didn't buy more Amazon 18 months ago.; 8/14/18, 12:37 PM
Michael K said...: Robert invests his 401k in those environmentally approved funds. The ones with no fossil fuels or other icky industries.

I think they bought a lot of Palestinian bonds.; 8/14/18, 1:00 PM
chickelit said...: @Robert Cook: Such malthusiasm at 9:55; 8/14/18, 2:16 PM
Drago said...: Robert Cook: "So you say. I don't see it."

And Maduro thinks he's doing a great job too.

Lefties and their LLR allies are funny that way.; 8/14/18, 2:50 PM
Drago said...: Чикелит: "@Robert Cook: Such malthusiasm at 9:55"

Indeed.

If Bernie Sanders had ever shown just 1/4 of that level of enthusiasm the commies on the commune where he worked would not have needed to fire him for laziness!!

LOL

Fired by the commies for laziness! Really, wouldn't you expect that to be sub-plot in a Mel Brooks movie?; 8/14/18, 2:51 PM
Drago said...: Michael K: "I think they bought a lot of Palestinian bonds."

It was called The Corbyn Fund I think...; 8/14/18, 2:52 PM
Drago said...: "The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) is an assembly and survey of small business owners throughout the U.S. In the latest survey (full pdf here) overall optimism is the second highest ever recorded at 107.9 (the highest reading was 108 in 1983)."

Robert Cook knows better...; 8/14/18, 3:33 PM
Jim at said...: Many people don't have pensions of any kind, and so whatever money is being made on Wall Street does not help them.

Why do you keep repeating this nonsense?

Every federal, state and municipal employee has pension plans heavily invested in the stock market. Every. One.

And those are just government workers.

If you're working in pretty much any capacity, your retirement is hooked into the market.

Good gri; 8/14/18, 4:00 PM
Clyde said...: Hagar said...
Why is using the "N-word" once a worse offense against humanity than torturing and killing any number of people in the most brutally inhumane ways imaginable?

Because there are people in this country who find that word personally offensive but don't care at all about a bunch of people being tortured and killed in a far-off land. Sad, but true. Something that happens somewhere far away is less real than something that happens up close and personal. It's why when a couple of American bicyclists get run over by ISIS in Tajikistan along with the couple of Europeans, it's only the Americans whose names get reported here. If there's an earthquake in Indonesia, you'll hear how many were killed, "including X number of Americans."

The hierarchy for most people is (1) Things that affect me -- HUGE DEAL! (2) Things that affect people I know and like -- BIG Deal! (3) Things that affect people I know and don't like -- Kind of a Big Deal, but they had it coming anyway. (4) Things that affect people I don't know that are kind of like me -- Gosh, that's too bad. (5) Things that affect people I don't know and who aren't much like me -- Meh, compassion fatigue.; 8/14/18, 7:03 PM
Robert Cook said...: "Every federal, state and municipal employee has pension plans heavily invested in the stock market. Every. One.

"And those are just government workers.

"If you're working in pretty much any capacity, your retirement is hooked into the market.

"Good gri"

What in the world makes you think most Americans are government workers? Also, do you really think "pretty much" all American workers participate in pension plans or 401K plans?; 8/14/18, 7:42 PM
stephen cooper said...: One home run at the All Star Break , a couple of years after being a triple crown winner?

I guess it is fun to be a baseball player, and be paid for it, but on the other hand, you have to think -

maybe you'd rather be something else, a good car salesman, a beloved plumber, a high school vocational arts teacher, rather than be that guy on the team who used to be good but who now is not good anymore, and everyone knows that some other team is going to win ....

of course, sports - even at its best - is just, for the most part, future trivia. Like I said, I knew someone who knew Yaz, and they seemed to like him. and think of him as a decent guy. That is not nothing.; 8/27/18, 9:28 PM