"[Heather] Mac Donald points out that in 2014 when colleges were first required to report the number of unfounded criminal charges involving their students:"
The only unfounded crimes that Harvard reported were rapes—six of them. By contrast, none of the 492 property crimes reported to law enforcement in 2014 were found to be baseless. And those six unfounded rapes represented all of the rapes reported to the Harvard police in 2014—not one survived law-enforcement investigation….
Her story is falling apart, but, at least in the photo that Avenatti posted, she's fairly good looking. Perhaps Avenatti can use his connections with the porn industry to find her another gig. I think a joint appearance with Stormy Daniels could be lucrative if promoted and merchandised properly, Besides fame and money what possible reason could she have for coming forward at this late date......Shes not like Ford who will get fame, tenure, a book deal, and canonization as a result of her brave stance.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D OR) has filled suit seeking to enjoin the Senate from voting on Kavanaugh’s nomination because the White House has not produced all requested documents. Doesn’t seem like a winner. Anyone around here know any Con. Law?
Of the 200 people I know best - and I am bragging here a little, I realize that, because you know and I know that few people know more than a few dozen people well, and I am claiming (but i am being honest) to know 200 people well - my best guess is that Trump is a better person than most of them.
Yes he has not really fully repented of his younger pro-abortion Democratic days. Well, so what. Lincoln died before he had a single fucking day of realizing that African-Americans were equal i dignity to his European-American friends. Lincoln would not be welcome at any party that I might organize. Roosevelt and Truman signed off on killing all those little kids in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, without thinking through the alternative possibility of just fucking nuking the military bases (hint - the Japanese did not hide children at military targets) and Bill Clinton violently raped a couple of women who looked, when they were young, a lot like Linda Ronstadt and one or two of the girls I had crushes on when I was a teenager. Or like the girls who would have been my daughter if things had worked out with the girls I had a crush on.
Trump never raped anybody. Clinton did, I think. Ruth Bader Gisnburg never said a word of criticism of the rapist Clinton, who gave her the best job she ever had.
Tawana Brawley was allowed to vanish and live out her life in obscurity after her case crashed and burned. Crystal Mangum got prison time but that was for murder, not for slander. Does anyone know the name of the girl in the UVA case or if anything bad happened to her subsequently.......There's an urban legend that bad things happen to women who come forward in sexual misconduct cases. I think it's based on the way that Clinton's "bimbos" were treated and the way Linda Tripp was demonized for reporting a case of a coworker being sexually exploited by her employer. There's really not much of a downside for snitching on a Republican,
What the left is essentially announcing to men is that if you have ever even attended a rauchy party in your teens and twenties, we now have the ability to destroy you should we deem it necessary and expedient.
My only question is how long it will take for people to recognize this and believe they have enough at stake to react accordingly.
"What the left is essentially announcing to men is that if you have ever even attended a rauchy party in your teens and twenties, we now have the ability to destroy you should we deem it necessary and expedient."
It is worse than that- you could literally have been raised alone in the wild by a pack of wolves until the age of 51 and yet get smeared by the likes of Katz and Avenatti.
My hope, vain though it is, is that after tomorrow, a Democrat in the Senate stands up and announces they are voting for Kavanaugh on the simple principle that uncorroborated allegations should have no weight, and that the pile on of clearly ridiculous allegations to further smear the man must be answered by not only ignoring the allegations, but actively defying their purpose. Probably would come best from a Senator not up for election or even in danger of losing in the future, but would most like come from the red state Senators up for re-election.
After reading Althouse's posts today, I believe that -- in the end -- the latter stories help Ford, by making hers seem more reasonable in retrospect.
If she testifies tomorrow and keeps her composure steady, she will seem like a respite to the insanity, and only look more plausible in the framework of this shit-show week.
In an earlier post today Althouse wrote:
"It's up to us, the citizenry, to maintain our vigilance. No shortcuts. You can't "believe all women" or trust the "mainstream" press. Pay attention and sharpen up, or we are lost."
Unfortunately, the initial lack of that perspective with Ford allowed others to see that there were no repercussions for unsubstantiated accusations, opening the floodgates for others to follow. From the internet on mob mentality:
"When a group of people has assembled because they're emotional and angry about something, it only takes one act of violence to whip the crowd into a fury. Others will follow the initial rioter's lead and begin destroying property or hurting people...
Being part of a group can destroy people's inhibitions, making them do things they'd never otherwise do. They lose their individual values and principles and adopt the group's principles... This standard can seem to be a just and righteous one, since the mobs assembled after an act of perceived inequality or unfairness, and the communal emotion can make the cause seem even more important..."
You can also use Broken Windows Theory to see this phenomenon -- from Wiki:
The broken windows theory is a criminological theory that visible signs of crime, anti-social behavior, a to the truth"nd civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes...
Ford was allowed -- even encouraged -- to tell her story without the "vigilance" of evaluation: she was perceived as "closer to the truth" despite that truth having no real substantiation; the call to insinuate alcohol-induced amnesia on the part of the accused only showed that the believers wanted to believe with "shortcuts".
Add the noble desire to protect hallowed abortion, and people could feel good about not "sharpening up". Others, seeing this could -- at best -- only feel disappointed.
I'm curious to see if cruel neutrality regains its footing here tomorrow; however, like Kavanaugh is experiencing, once something is lost it may never be regained.
The saddest thing is that we here in Oregon are likely saddled with Mr Merkley until he becomes so decrepit that he cannot even be carried to the Senate floor without injury. Senator Wyden is intelligent enough, at least; wrong about so much but not an idiot.
We are not fighting against men (and women) but powers and pricipalities of the air, the girl and Ginsburg interludes were to teach Kennedy not to stretch.
Different generation, but I went to an all boys Jesuit high school. Drugs were unheard of, but we found a way to get drunk a few times. There were a couple of guys who had to get married, but I think the majority of my graduating class were virgins. A lucky few claimed that they had dry humped or gotten hand jobs, but casual hook ups never happened. It would be just my luck to be completely wrong about this, but that's how I remember it........It's an Irish thing. Yeats was good looking and a celebrated poet. He was a virgin until the age of thirty. He didn't really hit his sexual stride until his sixties. George Bernard Shaw was a virgin until he was forty, and he never really developed his sensual nature. There are some exceptions but the Irish are suspicious of sex. Good food and hot sex are not to be trusted.
I must add: I am not a fan of Kavanaugh. As a SC nominee, I would have no problem with him withdrawing, and putting an end to the Bush-era company.
But that moment, to me, has passed: it is no longer about him as a jurist, it is about the power to destroy a man if the 'right people' wish to do so for the 'right reasons'. And the people who will go along with this if those reasons are shared.
narciso - good comment, but - to be perfectly clear - I for one have no desire to fight, on my own, powers and principalities.
I will go so far as to point out to others that people they admire may be puppets of powers and principalities, and I will also go so far as to publicly pray for my guardian angel to be to me what I, in my best moments, would be to my guardian angel if our roles were reversed: but, as far as fighting powers and principalities on my own: only as a last resort.
That being said, just as it is a good thing to be a friend to a poor little creature that never had a friend in this world (and I have logged in decades and decades and decades of doing that for dogs and cats and, I hope, generally unloved and abandoned humans, from time to time - I have had a long life and have met many people) - it is also a good thing to decide that, if it comes down to it, that resisting principalities and powers is what we need to do, if they are trying to triumph through threats and lies.
I am prepared to give the Democrats credit for tactical cunning, but where in the Hell is their strategic sense? What elected Donald Trump was a cadre of people who would crawl miles across broken glass to vote against Hillary Clinton. Now most of those same people are ready to do the same in six weeks, augmented by a bunch more who couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Trump but can bring themselves to vote for Braun or McSally or Scott or Vukmir or Morrissey. Do they have a plan for after the Kavanaugh vote to recover a perception of sanity between now and November? They must have some sort of plan but can it compensate for the way decent people now perceive them — as so filthy that no self-respecting rock would let them slither beneath it.
I am beginning to suspect that Buwaya is correct- this is not insanity, it is cold-blooded, ruthless pragmatism on the part of the Democrats. I would hope that people like Jeff Flake, Susan Collins, Bob Corker, Ben Sasse, and Lisa Murkowski understand the stakes here well enough to go ahead and confirm Kavanaugh, but I don't know for certain. Flake did make a statement in the Senate this morning that winning at all costs is extremely dangerous, and I can't imagine any scenario where he would be speaking to his Republican colleagues in this case- it had to be directed to the Democrats, so I am hopeful that the Republicans gird themselves and do the the right thing here.
I will say this- I am disappointed that not a single Democrat in the Senate has had the courage to stand up and call this for what it is- unmitigated insanity and character assassination, all done with literally zero corroboration.
And a last warning about the Republicans- if they fail to stand united on this one narrow issue, they will all hang politically. If the Democrats tactics are allowed to succeed here, it will be used over and over, and you will see it repeated with the next nominee if Kavanaugh is defeated, and it will definitely get used in all of the important races this November.
I would hope that that Bush has the decency to make a strong public statement after tomorrow, but like you I think he will be far too cowardly to do so. It would make a big difference, I think, but I fear he has gone the full McCain with the media, which is kind of disgusting considering how he was treated by them.
I assume Althouse may blog about Ms. Ford's written statement that just got released. But let me say after, reading it, WHAT BULLSHIT.
Again, she remembers all these little details. There were 5 other people at the party, and names 4 of them. She had one beer. Kavanaugh and Judge were drunk, they pinballed down the hall, how she escaped, she wore a swim suit under her clothes, what Judge said, the record player, etc. etc.
BUT...
Where? "Just some house". When? "The summer of 1982". How did she there? "Can't remember" How did she get home" "Can't Remember". Why didn't she tell her girlfriends? "No Comment". Why did she go to a party with 4 boys and 1 other girl? "No Comment". Why did she keep quiet for 30 years? "No Comment".
How did she know Kavanaugh? She was was friends with "a boy" who ran in the same circles as Kavanaugh, and she and "the boy" attended the same parties as Kavenaugh.
Her comments on Judge make no sense. According to her Judge would tell Kavanaugh to "stop" but also to "go on". And how do you jump on someone ON A BED and knock over a pile? And how could she hear Judge, since the record player was loud, and designed to cover her screams?
[From the secret Oval Office tape, a few days ago] Trump: OK Avenatti lets do a deal. Avenatti: What do I get? Trump: A big enough settlement to Stormy Daniels for you to retire to wherever in the world you want on your 40%. Avenatti: 33 1/3%, but go on. What do you want from me? Trump: You need to come up with a woman who will make accusations against Brett Kavanaugh that are so unbelieveably outrageous that they will undermine the credibility of the accusations from Ford and Ramirez and anyone else that DiFi is able to dig up. [Pause] Trump: Well? Can you do it? Avenatti: I've got the woman in mind. But let's get back to specifics of your offer. [Remainder of the tape is blank.]
If this sleazy tactic succeeds, BigMike, it will be deployed in late October on multiple fronts. Even if Trump replaced Kavanaugh with a female candidate, that candidate will face scandalous, unsupported charges just as easily, they will just be of a different nature. I don't think the Republicans in D.C. quite understand this yet, though after today it may be dawning on them.
And why the hell do we continue to treat these cowardly women with some deference?
Its absurd. She constantly whines about how "terrified" and "afraid" she is.
She receives the usual death threats THAT ANY PUBLIC FIGURE GETS. And she calls the FBI, she changes addresses, she can't think straight, she's terribled, blah, blah, blah.
Kavanaugh puts her hand over her mouth, and MY GOD ITS ATTEMPTED MURDER! And instead of laughing at this silly, cowardly, woman, every gets all sympathetic.
narciso - I think that Bill Clinton raped - violently raped - a woman who looked almost exactly like one of the high school girls I had a crush on back in the day.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg has never said a negative word about the man who I think violently raped a woman who looked almost exactly like one of the high school girls I had a crush on back in the day. She should be ashamed of herself for that.
I am not a big fan of Kavanaugh because he gutlessly praised Kennedy, who was Clinton's stooge. That being said, if I were on a jury, I would not in a million years convict Kavanaugh, based on the evidence we now know - nor would I say his accuser is a liar. I would just say, the evidence is not there either way..
Other countries are worse, but the ruling classes in this country are full of fucked up selfish cold hearted bastards, look in their eyes and you will see blankness, more often than anybody would want - more often than anybody would want in one's motherland - nobody wants to live in a country where the elite are not obviously good-hearted people who are grateful for their elite status. That is not happening right now - I am not criticizing any individual,because I do not have the gift of discernment of souls (and if anybody did they would not be talking about it on the internet, without deep background explanations) (Philippians and Ephesians explain this....)
When Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells us how she feels about the fact that she was appointed to the Court by Bill Clinton, whom most people believe violently raped a woman who (by the way) looked almost exactly like the young woman I had a crush on in high school, then I will give some thought as to whether Kavanaugh deserves to be on the same Court as her, and vice versa. Maybe he is better off not being on a court with those evildoers.
"And a last warning about the Republicans- if they fail to stand united on this one narrow issue, they will all hang politically"
McConnell has Zero power over Flake and Corker. Collins and Murkowski are so well entrenched, they could both turn Democrat and still get elected.
Of course, confirming a Republican nominee would've been so much easier if McConnell and Trump had SUPPORTED Roy Moore instead of ignoring him or opposing him. With 52 votes, we could've lost Collins AND Murkowski and still won. But now we need at least on of them.
rcocean - sorry to be cynical here and sorry to disagree. I would love to be wrong, but I almost certainly am not wrong.
Flake, Corker, Mnuchin, and Collins are not going to vote based on what they think is right.
They are four cold-heated people, whether they know it or not, and they are going to vote based on their decision as to whose threats they are most afraid of.
When I was in high school in the late 60's, I watched the documentary about the McCarthy hearings. I waited for the big reveal when McCarthy falls. Welch says "Have you no decency," and after nothing more explosive happened, I thought, "That's it?!? That's the big takedown?" Still, at one time yes, yes it was?
It's a measure of how shame, principle, and conscience have drained away from our socalled representatives that if the same were invoked against the Dems in the senate today, it would at best be considered quaint, but more likely shouted down in a fit of counter-outrageous outrage.
Althouse proposed that there was one question that could devastate Brett Kavanaugh. "Have you ever been so drunk you couldn't remember later what you did?"
I have an equally devastating question (and follow up) for Christine Blasey Ford. "Why did your parents and brothers not sign your letter of support attesting to your honesty and integrity? What do they know about you that might cause them to decline to sign such a document?"
Yelich and Cain were great pickups by the Brewers.
I think it was smart that the Marlins traded Stanton. But it was dumb to move Yelich. He was a good player who kept getting better. And he had a very team friendly contract at $7 million a year through 2021.
People should be concerned about the economy and the Fed's boneheaded decision to raise interest rates. We're close to full employment but there still isn't (enough) evidence of increasing wages.
And can you imagine Kavanaugh and his strict construtionist bodies running the Supreme Court? No way the federal government could manage the economy? Scary stuff! These "federalists" want to get rid of the Fed! Oh, oh the Constitution doesn't mention a central bank... It's not an enumerated power... Jesus, the Constitution has caused more problems than it's worth. We need a new one.
The author of the letter does not appear to have been present at the time of the incident, but recounts what seems to have been relayed by her daughter, who was present.
“When they left the bar (under the influence of alcohol) they were all shocked when Brett Kavanaugh, shoved her friend up against the wall very aggressively and sexually… There were at least four witnesses including my daughter.”
“The writer of the letter provided no names but said the alleged victim was still traumatized and had decide to remain anonymous herself,
JudiciaryCommittee is also talking to someone who thinks he forced himself on Dr. Ford not Judge Kavanaugh— this is from A long investigation summary from Judiciary Republicans distributed tonight. These interviews happened this week, according to the committee
12:00 on fantasy timeline day: the Senate votes; Kavanaugh is confirmed.
12:05: Kavanaugh makes speech, something along the lines of:
"I appreciate this opportunity, but -- sadly -- I will not accept the position.
The last week has been a crucible for America, and I fear for the new world it has made.
While I would indeed be proud to serve on the Supreme Court, I now realize that any court decision I am a part of will always be seen as tainted, a wound that will never be allowed to heal, a wound to be exploited by those who prefer blood in the water, always.
I am saddened that I see the nation I love replace the Rule of Law with the sickle-and-hammer of rumors and false witness.
I hope that, in my action, I give America the chance to learn from this time and search its soul. Thank you."
12:10: the usual suspects go nuts over a new scalp.
12:15: the President gives a speech that rips the charlatans and promptly announces a new SC appointment, one that is decidedly not from the elite schools and DC crowd. One that can fucking breathe fire.
12:20: Grassley announces a vote for the following day, no delays.
12:30: Kavanaugh's lawyers announce that they will be immediately filing charges against his accusers.
12:35: Rod Rosenstein, having previously had the Come To Jesus meeting, fires Mueller.
12:40: Sessions announces that the Government will be filing suit to break up the monopolies of Google, Twitter and Facebook.
Did the Fed stop the great depression, which was worse than the 1873 one, did it stop the subprime bust of 2008: one might argue it triggered it, when the teaser rates reset.
Gotta love the university ambiance, crazy hate in every window and unhinged bigotry on every bulletin board. It's amazing that as many students remain sane as do.
When we were kids, our mother made each of us learn to cook a couple of "party pieces", dishes suitable for an occasion. An excellent cook herself, she wanted to prepare us for life, for those occasions when we would have to cook something special.
In my case this was a stretch, as I am not a good cook. I cooked for my wife during the two times she was confined to bed when pregnant. Some months with my cooking made an impression, as she has banned me from the kitchen for, oh, 23 years. That is, if I was cooking for the dinner table.
Anyway, my pieces were gambas al ajillo (shrimp fried in garlic) and the tarta (or torta) de Santiago. Both are very simple.
A good English language recipe, very close to my Spanish version - Tarta de Santiago
This is extremely Spanish - Almonds and lemon what?
You can actually leave out the almond extract, and the cinnamon, and the orange zest. YMMV. Its really very simple though you will find many elaborations - condensed milk say - no, don't do that!
The charm of the thing though is its appearance. For a proper Tarta de Santiago, one must end up with this - Cruz de Santiago , outlined in powdered sugar.
Cut it out of folded paper (easier to cut half the mirror-image), lay it on the torta and sprinkle powdered sugar over the whole thing.
It is the Spanish sigil of Saint James, of course, Santiago Matamoros, and of the crusading knightly order of Santiago. And in the US, hardly anyone knows what it is, and can be displayed anywhere as an ethnic "thing".
People who cavalierly about civil wars, or long term insurgencies like Colombia, are they crazy, it may ultimately come to that but let's not wake that slouching beast.
Everyone will be watching tomorrow to see Ford. We all know Judge K already. Will she be able to keep to her vague original story and not add more details that will further impeach herself?
"On Monday, police arrested Ramon Alberto-Escobar, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who has been deported six times, for seven attacks on homeless people in California. Three of the victims allegedly beaten by Alberto-Escobar have died."
actually, there was a necessity for all that space (and time, its close equivalent) to spawn the supernova explosions to percolate the type of ionized atoms of which most of us are made.
based on contemporary understanding of cosmology, the smallest universe capable of creating life is approximately 15 billion light years wide.
anti de Sitter space - Bruce Charlton, who uses his own name on his own blog, has written about ten thousand words describing why God, who is a person, wants us to a friend to God.
If you read a few dozen of his blog posts on the subject and still feel like those of us who KNOW THAT GOD WANTS US TO WANT TO BE A FRIEND are stupid, go ahead. The last time somebody credibly accused me of being stupid on the subject was in 1973 and I a a nostalgic guy and would love to live those old days over again, even if just in jest
My own impression is that Ford is sincere but mistaken: she has a false memory. This is consistent with her naming several witnesses who contradict her, and with being first mentioned in 2012 when she was receiving counseling. This is why it’s important to know what counseling, and what techniques. Some techniques are quite prone to creating false memories.
I am disturbed by her attempts to avoid cross examination or control who questions her or to force Kavanaugh to appear first. They look too political, and too much like she has doubts. But I cannot say for sure.
But the question is not just is she credible and does she seem truthful. Aside from questions of process and fairness is the question of can her memory be wrong. It can, and that is why corroboration is needed.
I have had the immense privilege of meeting intelligent persons.
Maybe you are one of them! I know you did not call me stupid.
When I was a kid 'stupid' was the go-to insult, I overuse it in my adult prose, describing how people often see me.
In 1973, one of my teachers - an algebra teacher - looked at me as if I was stupid. It is a boring story. The only interesting thing about is this: I do not recall anyone, since 1973, looking at me that way.
The funny thing is .... I really do not understand "the world". People, dogs, and cats, that I understand. I guess what I am trying to say is - if you understand people,dogs, and cats nobody will call you stupid, at least in any given year from 1973 to 2018. Even if you do not understand "the world."
Big Mike said...I have an equally devastating question (and follow up) for Christine Blasey Ford. "Why did your parents and brothers not sign your letter of support attesting to your honesty and integrity? - Especially since no one would expect them not to..and there's no legal ramifications, correct?
There are a finite number of human beings, and even people who get most things wrong get a lot of things right.
And then there are the people who get most things right, even if not everything.
In 1973, I was one of the people who get most things wrong but got a lot of things right, and I was pretty proud of that. A lot of people think that, if in 1973 you were not a rock star or some rich guy or some glamorous woman, you were just some sad person who was stuck in 1973, with all its sad now-diminished details. But ....
Later years brought more developments. God loves us all, but God really loves us when we are kind to creatures who never had a friend in this world. I don't really know a lot - in my obscure corner of the world - but I know that.
The Washington Monument is an obelisk. An obelisk represents an erect male phallic and this is connecting to the female ovaries, otherwise known as the oval office.
And the water, the strip of water... this is her water... so where her water breaks, the male phallic is connecting to the female ovaries, or the oval office.
https://pjmedia.com/trending/bombshell-man-tells-judiciary-committee-he-did-it-not-kavanaugh/ On the eve the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the stories of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, two men have reportedly come forward claiming that they, not Judge Kavanaugh, were the ones who had the encounter in question with Ford.
Burgess Everett, a reporter for Politico, broke the news on Twitter. "[Senate Judiciary] Committee staff have a second interview with a man who believes he, not Judge Kavanaugh, had the encounter with Dr. Ford in the summer of 1982 that is the basis of her allegation," Everett wrote. "He described his recollection of their interaction in some detail."
"For people asking for more info," Burgess added in a second tweet, "this is from a long investigation summary from Judiciary Republicans distributed tonight. These interviews happened this week, according to the committee."
@Ken B I am disturbed by her attempts to avoid cross examination or control who questions her or to force Kavanaugh to appear first. They look too political
That’s because they are. In fairness to Ms. Ford, we don’t know to what extent she personally is driving this bus, and to what extent she has become a tool of her handlers. I suspect at this point it’s mostly the latter, and we have no reason to expect anything other than “too political” from the likes of them.
@Lydia, I read it; I disagree that it’s the “least worst.” In fact, it’s hands down the absolute worst. The GOP needs to force vulnerable Democrats like Manchin and McCaskill and Nelson and Donnelly and Tester to choose between their country and party loyalty. Give Vukmir a club with which to beat Tammy Baldwin over the head. Give people a reason to come out and vote for McSally and Cruz.
Congrats to the Brewers! I, too, love to see second-tier teams make the playoffs. (Of course, where I come from, my Mets qualify as a second-tier team.)
Big Mike said: The GOP needs to force vulnerable Democrats like Manchin and McCaskill and Nelson and Donnelly and Tester to choose between their country and party loyalty.
There was a shift in the force this week. Last week, lots of lib FB friends took the party line that FBI should investigate (they weren't so off the wall that they said BK should withdraw simply because of the allegation). But after the Ramirez story - which Dems snuck in behind GOP backs - there was a shift. I think it was moms who realized that their sons, are not safe from crazy ladies. My son was lucky - but some of his frat brothers weren't safe from the "crazy" - after a break-up, one gal came to the fraternity every night to sleep in the boyfriends bed (this was out on the sleeping porch). He had to sleep off-site for months.
Every Mother of a college aged son has heard the stories - if not their son, then a son's friend.
I have read about 1000 comments about Kavanaugh and I do not remember seeing one comment about the fact that up until 1982 it was legal for 18 year-olds to drink beer and wine legally in Maryland and that Washington DC did not raise their drinking age to 21 until 1986. So you could still be in high-school and legally drink in Maryland and take a short metro ride to DC and drink legally.
I cannot believe anyone at the WaPo has not mentioned this. Are people so forgetful of the past that they don't remember this stuff. I graduated from HS in from a school in Delaware and remember people a year a head of me driving to DC to go out to the clubs and bars. Also the Beach Week they keep talking about would have had kids legally buying beer at the time. Hell when I went to Marquette, Wisconsin had just raised their drinking age to 21 and there were a lot of people grandfathered in at 19. I missed the age cut off by a few months, so there were people one year older legally able to drink.
To me this changes the whole dynamic in that the "illegal" drinking was being done by people 1-2 years below the limit not 4-5,
God has been waiting for almost fourteen billion years . . . But nothing experienced those fourteen billion years as the passage of time. The material universe doesn't experience anything. We experience change occurring in the natural world. It does not (setting animals aside for now).
As mockery, pointing out the amount of time involved is pretty silly. Whatever God is, if anything at all, our sense of time would be meaningless to him/her.
I wonder what will happen with the two men who claim to be the ones that accosted Ford in 1982. If they have both of them and they can identify location and rough date, that is the end of Ford's story- they would have the one thing she doesn't have- an actual supporting witness.
A constitutional republic means there is a set rule of laws that everyone abides by, and it was set up in such a way as to protect the the individual from the mob.
I have noticed that Donald plays several moves ahead of the crowd. We haven't seen the sleazy underbelly of the dem politics since after Chappaquiddick truth was learned about that "Lyin" of the senate. As shown in this episode by any means necessary is their core. I'm old enough to remember Viet Nam (Kerry) baby killers meme. 40+ million aborted black babies is not without purpose. And Randy Newman said it was Rednecks was keepin the niggers down. All we're lacking at this point is another Kristallnacht.
CBF’s statement, “At the same time, because the Committee Members will be judging my credibility, I hope to be able to engage directly with each of you.”
Each Senator has only five minutes. Five. She wants to stall and run the clock if any GOP Senator asks questions. It’s a trap. The Dem Senators will just bloviate and won’t ask a question.
So, the Republican committee staffers fought fire with fire last night, announcing that they had found the two guys who actually tried to assault Ford so many years ago. And did it late the night before she was supposed to testify before the committee. Are they real? Who knows? Does Ford know whether they are the ones who actually tried to assault her? Probably not, being a PhD psychologist who presumably knows all about false memories and the like. Which brings me to the critical question - will she show up today to testify? My guess is that she won't, because if she testifies, they will be allowed to testify after her, and their testimony has the possibility of harming her professional reputation (since she should professionally know all about false memories and the like). But if she doesn't testify, the committee votes Friday, the nomination goes to the floor, and Kavenaugh is confirmed only a couple days into the new Supreme Court term.
"It does not seem to me that the AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF HOMEOPATHY (AIH) is fit for purpose. Neither am I convinced that non-doctor Saine should be let near any patient, let alone one with cancer or another severe pathology.
@Begley - I don't think that the two guys really face much legal jeopardy if they indeed do admit to being Ford's two "assailants". There never really was an attempted rape, or even murder, in her story. It is only that Republican Supreme Court nominees need to be cleaner than the driven snow to get through the Senate confirmation process. Well, maybe not attempted rape outside deep blue bastions, which unfortunately probably includes Montgomery county. The rest of the country would see it for what it was - two drunk teenagers fumbling around in bed, with the guy pushing too quickly, and the girl, by chance ducking out. My partner has similar stories (except without the alcohol on her part), since her older brother had parties when their parents were out for the night. Except that she wasn't the least bit traumatized, but rather looks back on them with humor. And that would likely be the attitude of most jurors who aren't, yet, sufficiently "woke".
And instead of laughing at this silly, cowardly, woman, every gets all sympathetic.
Shush, rcocean. Nobody is more cowardly than our hostess and who knows how many other women are like that. Though, I doubt many of the ladies commenting are like that, even the lefties.
I disagree with those (here and on other posts) who say the Republicans should have stood with Roy Moore. I understand the sentiment, and I agree the attacks against him were unfair. And where are the accusers now?
But the fact is, if Moore were in the Senate, he would have been used as a tool to beat up every Republican thru the midterms. And Moore is an eccentric fellow, so every peculiar thing he said would have become a soundbite repeated ad nauseum. It would have been the reverse of what is happening now, where the Dems are experiencing some backlash. Instead, every mother of a teenage daughter would have voted Democrat to "send a message."
As far as Kavanaugh is concerned - except for Kamala Harris, who's trying to fundraise-like-mad off the thing - black people are not involved in this battle.
Oh, look at this: Blasey Ford's published medical research includes 6 articles on the abortion pill. Need motive here? We have someone here who has been paid for quite some time by the manufacturer of the RU-486 "morning after" abortifacient drug to do research for other uses of its drug. No doubt this also probably explains why she was apparently wearing a pussy hat (presumably over her aluminum foil hat) right after the election.
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143 comments:
Kill all who appose abortion.
I'm disappointed in the lack of wit.
Although its not surprising since I"ve seen Left-wing signs that say:
Kavan - Nope!
and not:
Kavan - Nah!
Help me out here. All the Democrats:
A. Pouncing on allegations;
B. Seizing on allegations;
C. In danger of over-reaching?
D. Risking a backlash?
Trump was Tremendously super in his press conference.
The only problem was the reporters mikes were too loud. He shouldn't have given them ANY mikes.
Their questions, if you can call them that, were verbose and moronic and not designed to elicit Trump's views but to debate him, and play "Gotcha".
Bill wants Inga or Pee tape to play crossfire.
Help him out.
"[Heather] Mac Donald points out that in 2014 when colleges were first required to report the number of unfounded criminal charges involving their students:"
The only unfounded crimes that Harvard reported were rapes—six of them. By contrast, none of the 492 property crimes reported to law enforcement in 2014 were found to be baseless. And those six unfounded rapes represented all of the rapes reported to the Harvard police in 2014—not one survived law-enforcement investigation….
I’m kavanumb.
They laughing like Hell, they're laughing like Hell.
They all know it's a con job.
Con job. Confidence job you know.
Press knows it too.
Dems are obstructionists but it's even worse it's a total con job.
Her story is falling apart, but, at least in the photo that Avenatti posted, she's fairly good looking. Perhaps Avenatti can use his connections with the porn industry to find her another gig. I think a joint appearance with Stormy Daniels could be lucrative if promoted and merchandised properly, Besides fame and money what possible reason could she have for coming forward at this late date......Shes not like Ford who will get fame, tenure, a book deal, and canonization as a result of her brave stance.
Senator Jeff Merkley (D OR) has filled suit seeking to enjoin the Senate from voting on Kavanaugh’s nomination because the White House has not produced all requested documents.
Doesn’t seem like a winner.
Anyone around here know any Con. Law?
Perhaps Avenatti can use his connections with the porn industry to find her another gig.
She probably has one. How do you think he found her ?
Is it Thursday yet?
I like PDT, the man, not so much, not least of which is because he is so easily and hilariously caricatured.
-sw
Of the 200 people I know best - and I am bragging here a little, I realize that, because you know and I know that few people know more than a few dozen people well, and I am claiming (but i am being honest) to know 200 people well - my best guess is that Trump is a better person than most of them.
Yes he has not really fully repented of his younger pro-abortion Democratic days. Well, so what. Lincoln died before he had a single fucking day of realizing that African-Americans were equal i dignity to his European-American friends. Lincoln would not be welcome at any party that I might organize. Roosevelt and Truman signed off on killing all those little kids in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, without thinking through the alternative possibility of just fucking nuking the military bases (hint - the Japanese did not hide children at military targets) and Bill Clinton violently raped a couple of women who looked, when they were young, a lot like Linda Ronstadt and one or two of the girls I had crushes on when I was a teenager. Or like the girls who would have been my daughter if things had worked out with the girls I had a crush on.
Trump never raped anybody. Clinton did, I think. Ruth Bader Gisnburg never said a word of criticism of the rapist Clinton, who gave her the best job she ever had.
Wake up, sheeple.
Tawana Brawley was allowed to vanish and live out her life in obscurity after her case crashed and burned. Crystal Mangum got prison time but that was for murder, not for slander. Does anyone know the name of the girl in the UVA case or if anything bad happened to her subsequently.......There's an urban legend that bad things happen to women who come forward in sexual misconduct cases. I think it's based on the way that Clinton's "bimbos" were treated and the way Linda Tripp was demonized for reporting a case of a coworker being sexually exploited by her employer. There's really not much of a downside for snitching on a Republican,
Kavanaugh free zone!
Can't we just swap stories about the pretty girls we slept with in college?
"Anyone around here know any Con. Law?"
Article I, Section 5 is all you need to read:
"Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings"
Merkley is an idiot, but will likely find plenty of fellow idiots in the 9th Circuit. The Senate will ignore a court ruling.
"Can't we just swap stories about the pretty girls we slept with in college?"
We can, but you have make sure you aren't up for government job that requires Senate confirmation.
Think about this.
What the left is essentially announcing to men is that if you have ever even attended a rauchy party in your teens and twenties, we now have the ability to destroy you should we deem it necessary and expedient.
My only question is how long it will take for people to recognize this and believe they have enough at stake to react accordingly.
EDH wrote:
"What the left is essentially announcing to men is that if you have ever even attended a rauchy party in your teens and twenties, we now have the ability to destroy you should we deem it necessary and expedient."
It is worse than that- you could literally have been raised alone in the wild by a pack of wolves until the age of 51 and yet get smeared by the likes of Katz and Avenatti.
Jackie Coakley, I believe.
The most interesting part was swetnicks minor roles in deep state operations.
Meanwhile the president seems,to be making deals with the UK, but Trudeau is too stupid to even try.
Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again
Sing them out again
I'm with Yancy. The old rule was to never put your dick in crazy. A couple of days ago it was don't be anywhere near crazy.
Today the rule is. . . Don't be a republican.
My hope, vain though it is, is that after tomorrow, a Democrat in the Senate stands up and announces they are voting for Kavanaugh on the simple principle that uncorroborated allegations should have no weight, and that the pile on of clearly ridiculous allegations to further smear the man must be answered by not only ignoring the allegations, but actively defying their purpose. Probably would come best from a Senator not up for election or even in danger of losing in the future, but would most like come from the red state Senators up for re-election.
Latest bits o' news:
WSJ reporting that Swetnick was represented by Ford's lawyer Debra Katz in a sexual harassment suit againts NY Life Insurance. (Via Twitchy)
Interesting coincidence.
Politico is reporting that an ex-boyfriend of Swetnick's filed a restraining order against her after she threatened his wife and child.
No looking too good for Swetnick at this point.
Just caught up with the daily Kavanaugh.
After reading Althouse's posts today, I believe that -- in the end -- the latter stories help Ford, by making hers seem more reasonable in retrospect.
If she testifies tomorrow and keeps her composure steady, she will seem like a respite to the insanity, and only look more plausible in the framework of this shit-show week.
In an earlier post today Althouse wrote:
"It's up to us, the citizenry, to maintain our vigilance. No shortcuts. You can't "believe all women" or trust the "mainstream" press. Pay attention and sharpen up, or we are lost."
Unfortunately, the initial lack of that perspective with Ford allowed others to see that there were no repercussions for unsubstantiated accusations, opening the floodgates for others to follow. From the internet on mob mentality:
"When a group of people has assembled because they're emotional and angry about something, it only takes one act of violence to whip the crowd into a fury. Others will follow the initial rioter's lead and begin destroying property or hurting people...
Being part of a group can destroy people's inhibitions, making them do things they'd never otherwise do. They lose their individual values and principles and adopt the group's principles... This standard can seem to be a just and righteous one, since the mobs assembled after an act of perceived inequality or unfairness, and the communal emotion can make the cause seem even more important..."
You can also use Broken Windows Theory to see this phenomenon -- from Wiki:
The broken windows theory is a criminological theory that visible signs of crime, anti-social behavior, a to the truth"nd civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes...
Ford was allowed -- even encouraged -- to tell her story without the "vigilance" of evaluation: she was perceived as "closer to the truth" despite that truth having no real substantiation; the call to insinuate alcohol-induced amnesia on the part of the accused only showed that the believers wanted to believe with "shortcuts".
Add the noble desire to protect hallowed abortion, and people could feel good about not "sharpening up". Others, seeing this could -- at best -- only feel disappointed.
I'm curious to see if cruel neutrality regains its footing here tomorrow; however, like Kavanaugh is experiencing, once something is lost it may never be regained.
I am Laslo.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1045085871857229824.html
The saddest thing is that we here in Oregon are likely saddled with Mr Merkley until he becomes so decrepit that he cannot even be carried to the Senate floor without injury. Senator Wyden is intelligent enough, at least; wrong about so much but not an idiot.
We are not fighting against men (and women) but powers and pricipalities of the air, the girl and Ginsburg interludes were to teach Kennedy not to stretch.
Different generation, but I went to an all boys Jesuit high school. Drugs were unheard of, but we found a way to get drunk a few times. There were a couple of guys who had to get married, but I think the majority of my graduating class were virgins. A lucky few claimed that they had dry humped or gotten hand jobs, but casual hook ups never happened. It would be just my luck to be completely wrong about this, but that's how I remember it........It's an Irish thing. Yeats was good looking and a celebrated poet. He was a virgin until the age of thirty. He didn't really hit his sexual stride until his sixties. George Bernard Shaw was a virgin until he was forty, and he never really developed his sensual nature. There are some exceptions but the Irish are suspicious of sex. Good food and hot sex are not to be trusted.
“ In other words, I've never had a threesome or more than a threesome."
It has come to this—Kavanaugh In an interview with Senate Judiciary Committee investigators.
I must add: I am not a fan of Kavanaugh. As a SC nominee, I would have no problem with him withdrawing, and putting an end to the Bush-era company.
But that moment, to me, has passed: it is no longer about him as a jurist, it is about the power to destroy a man if the 'right people' wish to do so for the 'right reasons'. And the people who will go along with this if those reasons are shared.
Strange bedfellows etc etc.
I am Laslo.
I have only had a threesome if I count myself twice.
narciso - good comment, but - to be perfectly clear - I for one have no desire to fight, on my own, powers and principalities.
I will go so far as to point out to others that people they admire may be puppets of powers and principalities, and I will also go so far as to publicly pray for my guardian angel to be to me what I, in my best moments, would be to my guardian angel if our roles were reversed: but, as far as fighting powers and principalities on my own: only as a last resort.
That being said, just as it is a good thing to be a friend to a poor little creature that never had a friend in this world (and I have logged in decades and decades and decades of doing that for dogs and cats and, I hope, generally unloved and abandoned humans, from time to time - I have had a long life and have met many people) - it is also a good thing to decide that, if it comes down to it, that resisting principalities and powers is what we need to do, if they are trying to triumph through threats and lies.
Both comments by Laslo are outstanding. You have a real talent as a writer- I knew that long ago, but the more serious Laslo is just as good.
Perhaps Stephen, but I haven't this disembodied madness in 10 years, no they didn't care about McCain, like a vampire to a cross they recoiled.
I am prepared to give the Democrats credit for tactical cunning, but where in the Hell is their strategic sense? What elected Donald Trump was a cadre of people who would crawl miles across broken glass to vote against Hillary Clinton. Now most of those same people are ready to do the same in six weeks, augmented by a bunch more who couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Trump but can bring themselves to vote for Braun or McSally or Scott or Vukmir or Morrissey. Do they have a plan for after the Kavanaugh vote to recover a perception of sanity between now and November? They must have some sort of plan but can it compensate for the way decent people now perceive them — as so filthy that no self-respecting rock would let them slither beneath it.
The serious comment I wrote in the other thread:
I am beginning to suspect that Buwaya is correct- this is not insanity, it is cold-blooded, ruthless pragmatism on the part of the Democrats. I would hope that people like Jeff Flake, Susan Collins, Bob Corker, Ben Sasse, and Lisa Murkowski understand the stakes here well enough to go ahead and confirm Kavanaugh, but I don't know for certain. Flake did make a statement in the Senate this morning that winning at all costs is extremely dangerous, and I can't imagine any scenario where he would be speaking to his Republican colleagues in this case- it had to be directed to the Democrats, so I am hopeful that the Republicans gird themselves and do the the right thing here.
I will say this- I am disappointed that not a single Democrat in the Senate has had the courage to stand up and call this for what it is- unmitigated insanity and character assassination, all done with literally zero corroboration.
And a last warning about the Republicans- if they fail to stand united on this one narrow issue, they will all hang politically. If the Democrats tactics are allowed to succeed here, it will be used over and over, and you will see it repeated with the next nominee if Kavanaugh is defeated, and it will definitely get used in all of the important races this November.
On the other hand, some of this IS pretty fucking funny.
Say what you want about Marx, "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce" is pretty damned true sometimes.
However, I believe we are beyond the farce of the 'second' time, and are now into elaborate fart jokes.
I am Laslo.
“Perhaps Avenatti can use his connections with the porn industry to find her another gig.”
So if Avenatti is less of a decent person for representing a porn star what is Trump for fucking one?
Brewers clinch postseason spot.
When this is over Friday, I hope Brett goes on a weekend drunken bender. He has earned one.
Mccullough,
I would hope that that Bush has the decency to make a strong public statement after tomorrow, but like you I think he will be far too cowardly to do so. It would make a big difference, I think, but I fear he has gone the full McCain with the media, which is kind of disgusting considering how he was treated by them.
I assume Althouse may blog about Ms. Ford's written statement that just got released. But let me say after, reading it, WHAT BULLSHIT.
Again, she remembers all these little details. There were 5 other people at the party, and names 4 of them. She had one beer. Kavanaugh and Judge were drunk, they pinballed down the hall, how she escaped, she wore a swim suit under her clothes, what Judge said, the record player, etc. etc.
BUT...
Where? "Just some house". When? "The summer of 1982". How did she there? "Can't remember" How did she get home" "Can't Remember". Why didn't she tell her girlfriends? "No Comment". Why did she go to a party with 4 boys and 1 other girl? "No Comment". Why did she keep quiet for 30 years? "No Comment".
How did she know Kavanaugh? She was was friends with "a boy" who ran in the same circles as Kavanaugh, and she and "the boy" attended the same parties as Kavenaugh.
Her comments on Judge make no sense. According to her Judge would tell Kavanaugh to "stop" but also to "go on". And how do you jump on someone ON A BED and knock over a pile? And how could she hear Judge, since the record player was loud, and designed to cover her screams?
[From the secret Oval Office tape, a few days ago]
Trump: OK Avenatti lets do a deal.
Avenatti: What do I get?
Trump: A big enough settlement to Stormy Daniels for you to retire to wherever in the world you want on your 40%.
Avenatti: 33 1/3%, but go on. What do you want from me?
Trump: You need to come up with a woman who will make accusations against Brett Kavanaugh that are so unbelieveably outrageous that they will undermine the credibility of the accusations from Ford and Ramirez and anyone else that DiFi is able to dig up.
[Pause]
Trump: Well? Can you do it?
Avenatti: I've got the woman in mind. But let's get back to specifics of your offer.
[Remainder of the tape is blank.]
Kudos to the Brewers. But what do the Cubs do? Go Wildcard and end up playing the Brewers again?
Woo Hoo Brewers!
The only thing better than Dr. Ford not showing up tomorrow would be if she does show up. Win-win.
If this sleazy tactic succeeds, BigMike, it will be deployed in late October on multiple fronts. Even if Trump replaced Kavanaugh with a female candidate, that candidate will face scandalous, unsupported charges just as easily, they will just be of a different nature. I don't think the Republicans in D.C. quite understand this yet, though after today it may be dawning on them.
And why the hell do we continue to treat these cowardly women with some deference?
Its absurd. She constantly whines about how "terrified" and "afraid" she is.
She receives the usual death threats THAT ANY PUBLIC FIGURE GETS. And she calls the FBI, she changes addresses, she can't think straight, she's terribled, blah, blah, blah.
Kavanaugh puts her hand over her mouth, and MY GOD ITS ATTEMPTED MURDER! And instead of laughing at this silly, cowardly, woman, every gets all sympathetic.
narciso - I think that Bill Clinton raped - violently raped - a woman who looked almost exactly like one of the high school girls I had a crush on back in the day.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg has never said a negative word about the man who I think violently raped a woman who looked almost exactly like one of the high school girls I had a crush on back in the day. She should be ashamed of herself for that.
I am not a big fan of Kavanaugh because he gutlessly praised Kennedy, who was Clinton's stooge. That being said, if I were on a jury, I would not in a million years convict Kavanaugh, based on the evidence we now know - nor would I say his accuser is a liar. I would just say, the evidence is not there either way..
Other countries are worse, but the ruling classes in this country are full of fucked up selfish cold hearted bastards, look in their eyes and you will see blankness, more often than anybody would want - more often than anybody would want in one's motherland - nobody wants to live in a country where the elite are not obviously good-hearted people who are grateful for their elite status. That is not happening right now - I am not criticizing any individual,because I do not have the gift of discernment of souls (and if anybody did they would not be talking about it on the internet, without deep background explanations) (Philippians and Ephesians explain this....)
When Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells us how she feels about the fact that she was appointed to the Court by Bill Clinton, whom most people believe violently raped a woman who (by the way) looked almost exactly like the young woman I had a crush on in high school, then I will give some thought as to whether Kavanaugh deserves to be on the same Court as her, and vice versa. Maybe he is better off not being on a court with those evildoers.
Note to Republicans: At his hearing, don’t give Kavanaugh his water in a red Solo cup.
"Woo Hoo Brewers!"
Yep.
I love to see the 'second tier' teams (i.e. not NY, Boston, LA) make it to the post season.
The Royals in 2015 were refreshing, even if they were not a team I particularly followed.
So: Woo Hoo, Too.
I am Laslo.
So if Avenatti is less of a decent person for representing a porn star what is Trump for fucking one?<
Inga was right there holding his balls.
Nice work, Inga,
"And a last warning about the Republicans- if they fail to stand united on this one narrow issue, they will all hang politically"
McConnell has Zero power over Flake and Corker. Collins and Murkowski are so well entrenched, they could both turn Democrat and still get elected.
Of course, confirming a Republican nominee would've been so much easier if McConnell and Trump had SUPPORTED Roy Moore instead of ignoring him or opposing him. With 52 votes, we could've lost Collins AND Murkowski and still won. But now we need at least on of them.
I love to see the 'second tier' teams (i.e. not NY, Boston, LA) make it to the post season.
Same here.
"When this is over Friday, I hope Brett goes on a weekend drunken bender. He has earned one."
No, this is gang-rape weekend. He can get drunk in October.
rcocean - sorry to be cynical here and sorry to disagree. I would love to be wrong, but I almost certainly am not wrong.
Flake, Corker, Mnuchin, and Collins are not going to vote based on what they think is right.
They are four cold-heated people, whether they know it or not, and they are going to vote based on their decision as to whose threats they are most afraid of.
rcocean - and by the way, based on your comments, you seem rather coldhearted yourself.
That is no way to live, my young friend!
When I was in high school in the late 60's, I watched the documentary about the McCarthy hearings. I waited for the big reveal when McCarthy falls. Welch says "Have you no decency," and after nothing more explosive happened, I thought, "That's it?!? That's the big takedown?" Still, at one time yes, yes it was?
It's a measure of how shame, principle, and conscience have drained away from our socalled representatives that if the same were invoked against the Dems in the senate today, it would at best be considered quaint, but more likely shouted down in a fit of counter-outrageous outrage.
"..you seem rather coldhearted yourself."
If you mean, I let my mind rule my emotions, you're correct.
But then, that's the adult thing to do.
The young attorney had been part of the national lawyers,guild the communist combine.
The Dems don't care about "decency". And they haven't since Bork.
"Just win, Baby. Just win".
Is their motto.
So if Avenatti is less of a decent person for representing a porn star what is Trump for fucking one?
A rich horny guy who wants a high priced ho and can afford her.
Bill Clinton was a cheap grifter who who thought he should get what he wanted when he wanted it ... and for free.
Althouse proposed that there was one question that could devastate Brett Kavanaugh. "Have you ever been so drunk you couldn't remember later what you did?"
I have an equally devastating question (and follow up) for Christine Blasey Ford. "Why did your parents and brothers not sign your letter of support attesting to your honesty and integrity? What do they know about you that might cause them to decline to sign such a document?"
Yelich and Cain were great pickups by the Brewers.
I think it was smart that the Marlins traded Stanton. But it was dumb to move Yelich. He was a good player who kept getting better. And he had a very team friendly contract at $7 million a year through 2021.
Jeter looks like a moron now.
I have doubts about anyone who still has their calendar from high school in 1982; but it was the President’s choice.
That they are so willing to accuse and abuse the law tells something about them:
https://mobile.twitter.com/dmartosko/status/1045141912863338496/photo/1
People should be concerned about the economy and the Fed's boneheaded decision to raise interest rates. We're close to full employment but there still isn't (enough) evidence of increasing wages.
And can you imagine Kavanaugh and his strict construtionist bodies running the Supreme Court? No way the federal government could manage the economy? Scary stuff! These "federalists" want to get rid of the Fed! Oh, oh the Constitution doesn't mention a central bank... It's not an enumerated power... Jesus, the Constitution has caused more problems than it's worth. We need a new one.
The author of the letter does not appear to have been present at the time of the incident, but recounts what seems to have been relayed by her daughter, who was present.
“When they left the bar (under the influence of alcohol) they were all shocked when Brett Kavanaugh, shoved her friend up against the wall very aggressively and sexually… There were at least four witnesses including my daughter.”
“The writer of the letter provided no names but said the alleged victim was still traumatized and had decide to remain anonymous herself,
Oh for fucks sake.
JudiciaryCommittee is also talking to someone who thinks he forced himself on Dr. Ford not Judge Kavanaugh— this is from A long investigation summary from Judiciary Republicans distributed tonight. These interviews happened this week, according to the committee
Oh, wow, man. Like an illuminated peace symbol.
Groovy.
A fantasy timeline:
12:00 on fantasy timeline day: the Senate votes; Kavanaugh is confirmed.
12:05: Kavanaugh makes speech, something along the lines of:
"I appreciate this opportunity, but -- sadly -- I will not accept the position.
The last week has been a crucible for America, and I fear for the new world it has made.
While I would indeed be proud to serve on the Supreme Court, I now realize that any court decision I am a part of will always be seen as tainted, a wound that will never be allowed to heal, a wound to be exploited by those who prefer blood in the water, always.
I am saddened that I see the nation I love replace the Rule of Law with the sickle-and-hammer of rumors and false witness.
I hope that, in my action, I give America the chance to learn from this time and search its soul. Thank you."
12:10: the usual suspects go nuts over a new scalp.
12:15: the President gives a speech that rips the charlatans and promptly announces a new SC appointment, one that is decidedly not from the elite schools and DC crowd. One that can fucking breathe fire.
12:20: Grassley announces a vote for the following day, no delays.
12:30: Kavanaugh's lawyers announce that they will be immediately filing charges against his accusers.
12:35: Rod Rosenstein, having previously had the Come To Jesus meeting, fires Mueller.
12:40: Sessions announces that the Government will be filing suit to break up the monopolies of Google, Twitter and Facebook.
12:45: Schumer has a heart attack.
12:46: Feinstein has a stroke.
12:50: Drudge breaks the Internet.
Something like that.
I am Laslo.
Did the Fed stop the great depression, which was worse than the 1873 one, did it stop the subprime bust of 2008: one might argue it triggered it, when the teaser rates reset.
Gotta love the university ambiance, crazy hate in every window and unhinged bigotry on every bulletin board. It's amazing that as many students remain sane as do.
" you cant make this stuff up!"
remember that expression?
A subversive dessert -
When we were kids, our mother made each of us learn to cook a couple of "party pieces", dishes suitable for an occasion. An excellent cook herself, she wanted to prepare us for life, for those occasions when we would have to cook something special.
In my case this was a stretch, as I am not a good cook. I cooked for my wife during the two times she was confined to bed when pregnant. Some months with my cooking made an impression, as she has banned me from the kitchen for, oh, 23 years. That is, if I was cooking for the dinner table.
Anyway, my pieces were gambas al ajillo (shrimp fried in garlic) and the tarta (or torta) de Santiago. Both are very simple.
A good English language recipe, very close to my Spanish version -
Tarta de Santiago
This is extremely Spanish - Almonds and lemon what?
You can actually leave out the almond extract, and the cinnamon, and the orange zest. YMMV. Its really very simple though you will find many elaborations - condensed milk say - no, don't do that!
The charm of the thing though is its appearance. For a proper Tarta de Santiago, one must end up with this - Cruz de Santiago , outlined in powdered sugar.
Cut it out of folded paper (easier to cut half the mirror-image), lay it on the torta and sprinkle powdered sugar over the whole thing.
It is the Spanish sigil of Saint James, of course, Santiago Matamoros, and of the crusading knightly order of Santiago. And in the US, hardly anyone knows what it is, and can be displayed anywhere as an ethnic "thing".
Worst case scenario is the Democrats have started a civil war. At this point I am just hoping that doesn't happen.
Michael K said...
Perhaps Avenatti can use his connections with the porn industry to find her another gig.
She probably has one. How do you think he found her
Ford's lawyer recommended her for the job. duh.
No need to be abusive to our host though, ask probing questions yes.
People who cavalierly about civil wars, or long term insurgencies like Colombia, are they crazy, it may ultimately come to that but let's not wake that slouching beast.
The druid symbol of the magic wand was made out of the wood of a Holly tree.
It’s made out of Holly wood...
Take the Lebanese civil war which lasted 15 years that drew in the us France Israel Iran.
Or the Balkan troubles of 20 years ago.
Everyone will be watching tomorrow to see Ford. We all know Judge K already. Will she be able to keep to her vague original story and not add more details that will further impeach herself?
Inga...Allie Oop said...
“Perhaps Avenatti can use his connections with the porn industry to find her another gig.”
So if Avenatti is less of a decent person for representing a porn star what is Trump for fucking one?"
Most decent people consider a pimp to be lower than the John. Don't you?
we're @ #6, back-seat-of-car rape. Classic! Nice nostalgic touch.
I really hope they play 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light' at his swearing in--
just to lighten the mood.
"God wants us to be his friend."
Yes, the creator of a approx hundred billion galaxies w/ on average approx a hundred million stars each, want to be yur friend.
Duh.
hundred billion stars per galaxy.
My bad.
Another day, another illegal alien murder:
"On Monday, police arrested Ramon Alberto-Escobar, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador who has been deported six times, for seven attacks on homeless people in California. Three of the victims allegedly beaten by Alberto-Escobar have died."
anit de Sitter Space :
actually, there was a necessity for all that space (and time, its close equivalent) to spawn the supernova explosions to percolate the type of ionized atoms of which most of us are made.
based on contemporary understanding of cosmology, the smallest universe capable of creating life is approximately 15 billion light years wide.
Thanks for reading.
God has been waiting for almost fourteen billion years, until a couple thousand years ago, when he sent his kid such that he could be yur friend.
anti de Sitter space - Bruce Charlton, who uses his own name on his own blog, has written about ten thousand words describing why God, who is a person, wants us to a friend to God.
If you read a few dozen of his blog posts on the subject and still feel like those of us who KNOW THAT GOD WANTS US TO WANT TO BE A FRIEND are stupid, go ahead. The last time somebody credibly accused me of being stupid on the subject was in 1973 and I a a nostalgic guy and would love to live those old days over again, even if just in jest
Steve,
I didn't call you stupid.
You chose to feel that way. I only stated what you had stated.
IOW, you called yourself stupid. Is that also what happened in '73?
My own impression is that Ford is sincere but mistaken: she has a false memory. This is consistent with her naming several witnesses who contradict her, and with being first mentioned in 2012 when she was receiving counseling. This is why it’s important to know what counseling, and what techniques. Some techniques are quite prone to creating false memories.
I am disturbed by her attempts to avoid cross examination or control who questions her or to force Kavanaugh to appear first. They look too political, and too much like she has doubts. But I cannot say for sure.
But the question is not just is she credible and does she seem truthful. Aside from questions of process and fairness is the question of can her memory be wrong. It can, and that is why corroboration is needed.
anti-de Sitter space:
Thanks for reading.
I do not take myself seriously most of the time.
I have had the immense privilege of meeting intelligent persons.
Maybe you are one of them! I know you did not call me stupid.
When I was a kid 'stupid' was the go-to insult, I overuse it in my adult prose, describing how people often see me.
In 1973, one of my teachers - an algebra teacher - looked at me as if I was stupid. It is a boring story. The only interesting thing about is this: I do not recall anyone, since 1973, looking at me that way.
The funny thing is .... I really do not understand "the world". People, dogs, and cats, that I understand. I guess what I am trying to say is - if you understand people,dogs, and cats nobody will call you stupid, at least in any given year from 1973 to 2018. Even if you do not understand "the world."
Big Mike said...I have an equally devastating question (and follow up) for Christine Blasey Ford. "Why did your parents and brothers not sign your letter of support attesting to your honesty and integrity?
-
Especially since no one would expect them not to..and there's no legal ramifications, correct?
Steve,
I don't think of myself as stupid.
But, I believe.
My belief is probably different than many. I know more reasons than many re not believing. But still, to my core, I believe.
Weird.
anti de Sitter space:
Interesting.
There are a finite number of human beings, and even people who get most things wrong get a lot of things right.
And then there are the people who get most things right, even if not everything.
In 1973, I was one of the people who get most things wrong but got a lot of things right, and I was pretty proud of that. A lot of people think that, if in 1973 you were not a rock star or some rich guy or some glamorous woman, you were just some sad person who was stuck in 1973, with all its sad now-diminished details. But ....
Later years brought more developments. God loves us all, but God really loves us when we are kind to creatures who never had a friend in this world. I don't really know a lot - in my obscure corner of the world - but I know that.
A version of surbers trump curse:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna913221
Worth a read -- this analysis by Nate Silver: "The GOP’s Least-Worst Option Is If Kavanaugh Withdraws — And Soon"
Laslo Spatula said...
A fantasy timeline:
I like how you think, Laslo.
@ The Commenter Who Will Be Deleted - What the hell is wrong with you? Threatening the hostess' family?
@Yancey, I agree.
MSNBC says 4th accuser.
The Washington Monument is an obelisk. An obelisk represents an erect male phallic and this is connecting to the female ovaries, otherwise known as the oval office.
And the water, the strip of water... this is her water... so where her water breaks, the male phallic is connecting to the female ovaries, or the oval office.
https://pjmedia.com/trending/bombshell-man-tells-judiciary-committee-he-did-it-not-kavanaugh/
On the eve the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining the stories of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, two men have reportedly come forward claiming that they, not Judge Kavanaugh, were the ones who had the encounter in question with Ford.
Burgess Everett, a reporter for Politico, broke the news on Twitter. "[Senate Judiciary] Committee staff have a second interview with a man who believes he, not Judge Kavanaugh, had the encounter with Dr. Ford in the summer of 1982 that is the basis of her allegation," Everett wrote. "He described his recollection of their interaction in some detail."
"For people asking for more info," Burgess added in a second tweet, "this is from a long investigation summary from Judiciary Republicans distributed tonight. These interviews happened this week, according to the committee."
@Ken B I am disturbed by her attempts to avoid cross examination or control who questions her or to force Kavanaugh to appear first. They look too political
That’s because they are. In fairness to Ms. Ford, we don’t know to what extent she personally is driving this bus, and to what extent she has become a tool of her handlers. I suspect at this point it’s mostly the latter, and we have no reason to expect anything other than “too political” from the likes of them.
@Lydia, I read it; I disagree that it’s the “least worst.” In fact, it’s hands down the absolute worst. The GOP needs to force vulnerable Democrats like Manchin and McCaskill and Nelson and Donnelly and Tester to choose between their country and party loyalty. Give Vukmir a club with which to beat Tammy Baldwin over the head. Give people a reason to come out and vote for McSally and Cruz.
@ Laslo 10:13, great post.
Congrats to the Brewers! I, too, love to see second-tier teams make the playoffs. (Of course, where I come from, my Mets qualify as a second-tier team.)
Big Mike said:
The GOP needs to force vulnerable Democrats like Manchin and McCaskill and Nelson and Donnelly and Tester to choose between their country and party loyalty.
There was a shift in the force this week. Last week, lots of lib FB friends took the party line that FBI should investigate (they weren't so off the wall that they said BK should withdraw simply because of the allegation). But after the Ramirez story - which Dems snuck in behind GOP backs - there was a shift. I think it was moms who realized that their sons, are not safe from crazy ladies. My son was lucky - but some of his frat brothers weren't safe from the "crazy" - after a break-up, one gal came to the fraternity every night to sleep in the boyfriends bed (this was out on the sleeping porch). He had to sleep off-site for months.
Every Mother of a college aged son has heard the stories - if not their son, then a son's friend.
I have read about 1000 comments about Kavanaugh and I do not remember seeing one comment about the fact that up until 1982 it was legal for 18 year-olds to drink beer and wine legally in Maryland and that Washington DC did not raise their drinking age to 21 until 1986. So you could still be in high-school and legally drink in Maryland and take a short metro ride to DC and drink legally.
I cannot believe anyone at the WaPo has not mentioned this. Are people so forgetful of the past that they don't remember this stuff. I graduated from HS in from a school in Delaware and remember people a year a head of me driving to DC to go out to the clubs and bars. Also the Beach Week they keep talking about would have had kids legally buying beer at the time. Hell when I went to Marquette, Wisconsin had just raised their drinking age to 21 and there were a lot of people grandfathered in at 19. I missed the age cut off by a few months, so there were people one year older legally able to drink.
To me this changes the whole dynamic in that the "illegal" drinking was being done by people 1-2 years below the limit not 4-5,
On December 22nd (Winter Solstice) the Sun stops moving up or down for two days (23rd, and 24th), but on the third day the Sun rises.
The Sun of God has risen (come back to life).
Amen
anti-de Sitter space said...
God has been waiting for almost fourteen billion years . . .
But nothing experienced those fourteen billion years as the passage of time. The material universe doesn't experience anything. We experience change occurring in the natural world. It does not (setting animals aside for now).
As mockery, pointing out the amount of time involved is pretty silly. Whatever God is, if anything at all, our sense of time would be meaningless to him/her.
I wonder what will happen with the two men who claim to be the ones that accosted Ford in 1982. If they have both of them and they can identify location and rough date, that is the end of Ford's story- they would have the one thing she doesn't have- an actual supporting witness.
America was founded as a constitutional republic.
A constitutional republic means there is a set rule of laws that everyone abides by, and it was set up in such a way as to protect the the individual from the mob.
Demo = mob crat = rule by.
Democrat means rule by mob.
I have noticed that Donald plays several moves ahead of the crowd. We haven't seen the sleazy underbelly of the dem politics since after Chappaquiddick truth was learned about that "Lyin" of the senate. As shown in this episode by any means necessary is their core. I'm old enough to remember Viet Nam (Kerry) baby killers meme. 40+ million aborted black babies is not without purpose. And Randy Newman said it was Rednecks was keepin the niggers down.
All we're lacking at this point is another Kristallnacht.
As for the opening comment... Death to the intolerant is for real.
Dr. Ford's opening statement - NPR
CBF’s statement, “At the same time, because the Committee Members will be judging my credibility, I hope to be able to engage directly with each of you.”
Each Senator has only five minutes. Five. She wants to stall and run the clock if any GOP Senator asks questions. It’s a trap. The Dem Senators will just bloviate and won’t ask a question.
Of course, where I come from, my Mets qualify as a second-tier team.)
Oh, they qualify as a second tier team everywhere ;^)
Worth a read -- this analysis by Nate Silver
Sorry, but I have the entrails of a freshly slaughtered goat that I have a hunch would tell me more.
It’s astonishing to me that Obamacare doesn’t cover fainting couches.
Remember: people aren't laughing at you, they're laughing WITH you. Except you're not laughing.
So, the Republican committee staffers fought fire with fire last night, announcing that they had found the two guys who actually tried to assault Ford so many years ago. And did it late the night before she was supposed to testify before the committee. Are they real? Who knows? Does Ford know whether they are the ones who actually tried to assault her? Probably not, being a PhD psychologist who presumably knows all about false memories and the like. Which brings me to the critical question - will she show up today to testify? My guess is that she won't, because if she testifies, they will be allowed to testify after her, and their testimony has the possibility of harming her professional reputation (since she should professionally know all about false memories and the like). But if she doesn't testify, the committee votes Friday, the nomination goes to the floor, and Kavenaugh is confirmed only a couple days into the new Supreme Court term.
"It does not seem to me that the AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF HOMEOPATHY (AIH) is fit for purpose. Neither am I convinced that non-doctor Saine should be let near any patient, let alone one with cancer or another severe pathology.
There should be a law protecting patients from this sort of thing!"
- Edzard Ernst MD, PhD, FMedSci, FRSB, FRCP, FRCPEd, reading my poor, black, undernourished mind
Feed me.
@Begley - I don't think that the two guys really face much legal jeopardy if they indeed do admit to being Ford's two "assailants". There never really was an attempted rape, or even murder, in her story. It is only that Republican Supreme Court nominees need to be cleaner than the driven snow to get through the Senate confirmation process. Well, maybe not attempted rape outside deep blue bastions, which unfortunately probably includes Montgomery county. The rest of the country would see it for what it was - two drunk teenagers fumbling around in bed, with the guy pushing too quickly, and the girl, by chance ducking out. My partner has similar stories (except without the alcohol on her part), since her older brother had parties when their parents were out for the night. Except that she wasn't the least bit traumatized, but rather looks back on them with humor. And that would likely be the attitude of most jurors who aren't, yet, sufficiently "woke".
So, y'all think we will see "peak crazy" this morning?
And instead of laughing at this silly, cowardly, woman, every gets all sympathetic.
Shush, rcocean. Nobody is more cowardly than our hostess and who knows how many other women are like that. Though, I doubt many of the ladies commenting are like that, even the lefties.
gambas al ajillo
Buwaya, recipe please! Also if you know how they get the sliced chorizo tapas to come out like that. Broiled, fried?
I disagree with those (here and on other posts) who say the Republicans should have stood with Roy Moore. I understand the sentiment, and I agree the attacks against him were unfair. And where are the accusers now?
But the fact is, if Moore were in the Senate, he would have been used as a tool to beat up every Republican thru the midterms. And Moore is an eccentric fellow, so every peculiar thing he said would have become a soundbite repeated ad nauseum. It would have been the reverse of what is happening now, where the Dems are experiencing some backlash. Instead, every mother of a teenage daughter would have voted Democrat to "send a message."
Sometimes you have to lose a battle to win a war.
As far as Kavanaugh is concerned - except for Kamala Harris, who's trying to fundraise-like-mad off the thing - black people are not involved in this battle.
This is a white people fight.
Spartacus was part of this battle
@Crack,
You need to talk to more black people.
My black coworkers are very engaged in these hearings, especially because of the issue of false accusations and how they can destroy a man's life.
But maybe they don't count in your mind.
Oh, look at this: Blasey Ford's published medical research includes 6 articles on the abortion pill. Need motive here? We have someone here who has been paid for quite some time by the manufacturer of the RU-486 "morning after" abortifacient drug to do research for other uses of its drug. No doubt this also probably explains why she was apparently wearing a pussy hat (presumably over her aluminum foil hat) right after the election.
This is a white people fight.
Black men have been fighting this fight since way before Emmet Till.
This would make a great poster.
edgy.
I like the "NEVER AGAIN" poster. It's rare you get explicit Communist propaganda.
Andrew said...
"You need to talk to more black people."
My friends, family, acquaintances, etc., aren't enough? They're enough.
"Maybe they don't count in your mind."
You guys say crazy shit just to say crazy shit.
MSNBC says 4th accuser.
Why stop at four? Make it 100. A thousand.
When you're going to spew bullshit, the sky's the limit.
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