Althouse: At the Moonlight Café...

December 9, 2019

At the Moonlight Café...

310AAC82-C6F3-4799-BB0A-70E8F5C48D3A_1_201_a

... you can talk about whatever you want.

And do remember to use The Althouse Portal to Amazon.

125 comments:

stephen cooper said...: God loves us all.

True or false?: if true, lots of us are confused.

If false: well, enjoy the moonlight, the greatest of the children of men could not have shown you anything so beautiful.; 12/9/19, 7:46 PM
stephen cooper said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 8:00 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: I'm just about a moonlight mile down the road.; 12/9/19, 8:00 PM
Quayle said...: After all the political rancor and contentious political noise, this may help improve the evening and, perhaps, the month.; 12/9/19, 8:03 PM
Lucid-Ideas said...: Please remember to buy thermal and gen 3+ night vision equipment through AA's blog amazon portal. It may come in handy.

Also, please purchase aluminum thermal blankets to hide yourself from thermal imaging equipment. Also panes of glass (which will also hide your heat signature).

IR lasers are very cheap on amazon. Buy them too.; 12/9/19, 8:06 PM
rehajm said...: The only presidential candidate book worth a damn: Mackerel by Moonlight

It shines and it stinks!; 12/9/19, 8:08 PM
Lucid-Ideas said...: Also buy velcro insignia.

"Police"
"Sheriff"
"FBI"

Store them away for a rainy day.; 12/9/19, 8:09 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: this video will give you pause

https://twitter.com/i/status/1203902460873588737; 12/9/19, 8:14 PM
stevew said...: Ah, a glorious entry in the Althouse Photograph Catalog. Have you ever sailed on the open ocean under a gibbous or full moon? It can be as peaceful an experience as you can have, provided the wind and weather are cooperating.

Off to a few days of multi-city travel. Nothing exotic or glamorous. Will likely chat with others while getting dinner at the hotel bar. Odds are quite good that the IG report, impeachment, and Orange Man Bad will not be among the topics discussed. If my origin - Boston - is revealed I am willing to bet there will be some good natured ribbing about the poor play of Tom Brady and the Patriot's offense this year. All in good fun.; 12/9/19, 8:14 PM
pacwest said...: Paul Volcker died. Although his monetary policy cost me a lot of money for several years I consider him one of the great Americans. It took a lot of guts to do what he did. It will take another "blood on the floor" policy if we ever want to address our unfunded liabilities problem.; 12/9/19, 8:16 PM
rehajm said...: Paul Volker died yesterday: Inflation's Worst Enemy

The American economy still needs change. Despite tax and regulatory reforms, the federal deficit remains large and the federal debt is rising. The answers are as simple as they were in Volcker’s time: Get back to sound and predictable budget policy. Paul Volcker’s career shows the way. Good economics leads to good policy, which leads to good results.; 12/9/19, 8:17 PM
rcocean said...: Just watched "The Shining". what a snooze fest. But rated the 61st best movie ever by IMDB. Say what?

2 hours of blah, blah. The last 30 minutes have some horror. But its mostly Jack Nicholson being over the top plus shelly duvall looking like Olive Oil.; 12/9/19, 8:19 PM
Tommy Duncan said...: The predicted low for Zip Code 53701 is 13 tonight and 5 tomorrow night. Soon many of the ducks and geese will ride a north wind to warmer places. Fishermen look forward to first ice.; 12/9/19, 8:21 PM
stevew said...: One more thing. This link picked up at Ace's place:

Poll: Impeachment is helping Trump in 3 key battleground states

https://www.axios.com/trump-impeachment-poll-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin-6776a580-9a0f-4362-a8a7-e6180f18ed14.html; 12/9/19, 8:22 PM
Big Mike said...: Puts me in the mood for Beethoven.; 12/9/19, 8:23 PM
gilbar said...: Serious Question:

Instapundit had a old Charlie Rose video, where he's talking to Tom Brokaw, about how they are pretending that they don't know anything about Barry O'Bama; but STILL think he's wonderful.

So, it's from 2008 or so. Watching it i had this question.
Was there Ever? ANYONE? that didn't see what a slimy scumbag Charlie Rose was? Even back then?
He seems to just OOZE slime. Did people just not notice back then? Or did they just not care?; 12/9/19, 8:27 PM
Hagar said...: The IG's office is established to deal with the normal sins of commission and omission within the DoJ and is tightly circumscribed as to how far it may go with independent investigations. This is how it should be since otherwise the office itself could become a seat of unintended powers and intrigue.
However, what has been going on for the last several years is far from "normal" and so cannot really be addressed by merely noting deviations from accepted practice regarding the "investigations" of Trump's 2016 election campaign and later White House administration.
Thus it is not that U.S. Attorney John Durham "disagrees" with IG's report, but that his mission is quite different in authority and scope.; 12/9/19, 8:29 PM
Kevin said...: Shorter IG Report: Mistakes were made.; 12/9/19, 8:34 PM
JPS said...: rcocean, 8:19:

I've seen the end four times. Still never seen the whole thing. I suppose I should one of these days.

But may I recommend the trailer for The Shining as the feel-good movie of the year? (This, if you're not familiar, was the winner of a contest to create a misleading trailer using selective editing, plus incongruous narration and music choices.); 12/9/19, 8:37 PM
Lucid-Ideas said...: There are giant quantities of household chemicals you can use to make explosives, especially shaped-charges.

Not a big deal, unless they make it one.

Lieutenant colonel Kent Dorfman wod make it one, but he is, after all, special.; 12/9/19, 8:39 PM
Lucid-Ideas said...: *would; 12/9/19, 8:40 PM
Iman said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 8:40 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: 'Comey' is not in the IG report, but 'Corney' 149x

later James Comey Claims That Network Cancelled His Appearance.
but Fox disputes that. He was never booked

'Corney' to say the least; 12/9/19, 8:41 PM
narciso said...: Still chasing squirrels over there:

https://reason.com/2019/12/07/socialism-killed-my-father/; 12/9/19, 9:08 PM
mockturtle said...: Rcocean complains: Just watched "The Shining". what a snooze fest. But rated the 61st best movie ever by IMDB. Say what?

Wow, I thought it was hilarious. I still do!; 12/9/19, 9:08 PM
mockturtle said...: Especially when Nicholson is interviewing for the job and trying to act 'normal'.; 12/9/19, 9:09 PM
narciso said...: They did a miniseries with steven weber in the nicolson role.; 12/9/19, 9:10 PM
Jaq said...: "Just watched "The Shining". what a snooze fest. But rated the 61st best movie ever by IMDB. Say what?”

It was so good they did a remake: Frozen, and it goes way beyond the snowman looking like Shelly Duval.; 12/9/19, 9:13 PM
narciso said...: Yes, but thats only the first part of the story, stephen cooper.; 12/9/19, 9:13 PM
rcocean said...: Mockturtle giggles and chortles: "Wow, I thought it was hilarious. I still do!"

I didn't think it was a comedy. But Kubrick IS a genius, isn't he?; 12/9/19, 9:15 PM
rcocean said...: "But may I recommend the trailer for The Shining as the feel-good movie of the year? (This, if you're not familiar, was the winner of a contest to create a misleading trailer using selective editing, plus incongruous narration and music choices.)'

Yep, its the most misleading trailer ever.; 12/9/19, 9:16 PM
Drago said...: It appears that LLR-lefty Chuck has decided to ride back into Althouse and pretend the previous 4 years never occurred.

Chuckie was pretending he sometimes likes Ted Cruz in the most transparently forced way and no one was buying it. Everyone knows and recalls Chuckie was totally on board with the entire Beto program.

He really thinks he can reset his online persona 11 months out from the election in order to resurrect his "lifelong republican" "principled" "conservative" role to attack Trump.

Hilarious!; 12/9/19, 9:22 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: I watched The Shining as a youngster. It freaked me out and I've still not recovered.; 12/9/19, 9:22 PM
stephen cooper said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 9:24 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: typical pattern: Deny--->Downplay--->Dismiss

1)"there was no spying on Trump, et al" (or 'at all)

2)"OK, the Report Says FBI Snooping on Trump Campaign Aide Was Justified, but Badly Mishandled"

3)"Spying?? Dude-- that was, like 2 years ago"; 12/9/19, 9:25 PM
narciso said...: Well 2001 was incredible, ive nevwr seen barry lyndon or the duelists, i did see eyes wide shut and i regretted it.; 12/9/19, 9:26 PM
Ken B said...: I saw The Shining in the theatre on its initial release. I call it The Shitting. I remember parts of it still, but not in a good way. Dull but even more, stoooopid.; 12/9/19, 9:29 PM
JML said...: stevew - C-130 night low-level with a cloudless full moon in the winter over snow covered hills in Minnesota and a Wisconsin. Beautiful. Not good in combat, but fun as hell in peacetime.; 12/9/19, 9:29 PM
stephen cooper said...: Kubrick's great genius was to be a friend to others, a thousand years from now his movies will be forgotten but the memoirs of the people who spent hours of friendship with him will be remembered .....

and he gave Ronald Reagan a good role, once.

In a movie called, of all things, The Killers

Most people don't remember the late 50s and the early 60s but I do and those were some pretty fucking intense years if you are the sort of person who thinks that every year is the same as any other year with respect to intensity; 12/9/19, 9:30 PM
Iman said...: Paul Sperry
@paulsperry_
“BREAKING: ABC, NBC and CBS all switch back to regular programming, stop covering impeachment hearings live as Republican committee members show video evidence of Biden & son’s quid pro quo and lay out reasons House is investigating the wrong man.”; 12/9/19, 9:31 PM
Ken B said...: Gilbar
About Charlie Rose. He oozes smugness actually. And the NPR crowd lapped it up. Other examples of ostentatious smugness: Garrison Keillor, Jim Lehrer.; 12/9/19, 9:33 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: not quite as festive as "DieHard", but it will do.

...gotta go-- I think I smell burnt toast!; 12/9/19, 9:34 PM
Lucien said...: Narciso: Paths of Glory and Dr. Strangelove rock, though.; 12/9/19, 9:42 PM
Ken B said...: Kubrick had a lot of talent, and made some very good movies. He also lacked restraint.; 12/9/19, 9:43 PM
Nichevo said...: stephen cooper said...
Kubrick was a technician of genius, which is not the same thing as a genius.

Coop - Steve, you don't like Coop - Steve, may I make a suggestion? I'm trying to be nice here so bear with me...could you be more positive about people?

Anybody can criticize. My father can criticize. My mother can criticize. I could criticize you for ineffectual prayers for their health and well-being. I can be criticized for...anything you like. To quote Eminem, I am whatever you say I am. I don't need praise.

But I'm so tired of the criticism, and the style of the criticism, I read from you. I guess it's praise of a sort, you are very good at something I can't make that you are trying to do, only that thing is repellent.

Could you do that kindness thing you talk about but never do? Could you be kind on this blog?

Specifically, do you think you could finish out the year...not saying 100% nice things about people, I don't ask the impossible, nor for you to lie...

Could you strive for 50-50? Say something nice half the time? Without being cutesy, like, Gee, Hitler was a wonderful killer?

Could you shoot for that?

No? Well, I tried.; 12/9/19, 9:44 PM
Ken B said...: Lucien
Those two, The Killing, 2001, and Barry Lyndon are all good. The rest not so much.; 12/9/19, 9:45 PM
Nichevo said...: and he gave Ronald Reagan a good role, once.

In a movie called, of all things, The Killers

Wait wait wait. Yes, The Killers was an excellent movie, and yes, Ronald Reagan was reasonably treated in it, but that was Stanley Kubrick? Surely you are mistaken? I'm posting this before I double check. Because I am so incredulous.; 12/9/19, 9:47 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: The Horowitz report reminded me why using anonymous sources is suicidal for the news media.
Before the report was released, there were anonymously sourced leaks about its contents. Now, it is easy to see where the leaks were coming from. The individuals painted in a bad light by the report were allowed to view it and comment on it. So the "anonymous sources" were almost certainly people who were made to look bad by the report. This is obvious, but the MSM accounts from the "anonymous sources" didn't point this out, possibly because it might lead to their being identified.
So the media is not telling you what you need to know about a vital public issue.; 12/9/19, 9:49 PM
Ken B said...: Drudge says they have dropped bribery. WTF. How can they have *anything* then? None of what the Democrats have been screaming about makes any sense at all unless you say he did a bribery deal with Zelensky.; 12/9/19, 9:49 PM
Nichevo said...: SC: absolutely not! That was Don Siegel all the way.

You mean The *KILLING* - 1956

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_(film)

You big nut, you ;-); 12/9/19, 9:52 PM
Ken B said...: Nichevo
Fake news. The 1964 Killers was Don Siegel. The 1946 was Robert Siodmak. Kubrick made a completely unrelated movie I mentioned above, The Killing.; 12/9/19, 9:52 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Barry Lyndon was great, the soundtrack especially.

I've written that on Althouse before, but I am not sure if it was under Guild or not.; 12/9/19, 9:53 PM
Seeing Red said...: Via Lucianne:

Washington - House Democrats are poised to unveil two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. That’s according to two sources familiar with the discussions but unauthorized to discuss the proceedings and granted anonymity. Democrats are expected to put forward one charge against the president of abuse of power and another of obstruction of Congress, according to one of the people. (More to follow.); 12/9/19, 9:55 PM
Nichevo said...: Thanks Ken. Jeez he almost gave me a heart attack!; 12/9/19, 9:55 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: In Kirk Douglas's autobiography, _The Ragman's Son_, Douglas accused Kubrick of trying to steal the writing credit for _Spartacus_ from Dalton Trumbo.; 12/9/19, 9:56 PM
rcocean said...: Good Kubrick Movies:

Barry Lyndon
Full Metal Jacket (First Half)
Dr. Strangelove
The Killing

Overall Stan was a cold technician. A man who didn't seem to like women very much.; 12/9/19, 9:57 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: “BREAKING: ABC, NBC and CBS all switch back to regular programming, stop covering impeachment hearings live as Republican committee members show video evidence of Biden & son’s quid pro quo and lay out reasons House is investigating the wrong man.”

My partner will be excited by this. Today, she was stuck watching Bonanza, instead of her usual soap operas.; 12/9/19, 9:59 PM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: Just watched "The Shining". what a snooze fest. But rated the 61st best movie ever by IMDB. Say what?

What are you talking about!? It's an absolutely classic romantic comedy!; 12/9/19, 9:59 PM
rcocean said...: "Anybody can criticize."

what does that mean? We're supposed to praise every piece of shit that Hollywood gives us? Hey, who are we to criticize our Entertainment masters. Could you direct Ishtar? Well, shut up and say its great.

Dumb.; 12/9/19, 10:01 PM
rcocean said...: I think you've sold me a car that doesn't start.

Shut up. Who are you to criticize? Can you make a car?; 12/9/19, 10:02 PM
n.n said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 10:02 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: At the Moonlight Cafe

"Midnight, the Stars and You"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fN-Xjpd-qE; 12/9/19, 10:04 PM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: My Alamo Drafthouse has the same carpet pattern as the Overlook in The Shining.

I like that movie just for the atmosphere. And because without it we couldn't have The Simpsons version.; 12/9/19, 10:05 PM
n.n said...: We're back to a hoof, a tail, a bray, and process crimes. Democrats have well and truly jumped the Ass, again. And so the plot progresses.; 12/9/19, 10:05 PM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: typical pattern: Deny--->Downplay--->Dismiss

1)"there was no spying on Trump, et al" (or 'at all)

2)"OK, the Report Says FBI Snooping on Trump Campaign Aide Was Justified, but Badly Mishandled"

3)"Spying?? Dude-- that was, like 2 years ago"

Remember There is *no* cannibalism in the Royal Navy!; 12/9/19, 10:06 PM
Drago said...: Ken B: "Drudge says they have dropped bribery. WTF. How can they have *anything* then? None of what the Democrats have been screaming about makes any sense at all unless you say he did a bribery deal with Zelensky."

Bribery is sooooo 96 hours ago.

It will be fun to watch Freder and Left Bank and ARM and LLR-lefty Chuck and Inga etc spin on a dime from screaming Bribery and Quid Pro Quo to all of a sudden saying What Does Bribery Have To Do With Anything?

LOLOLOL

Leftists gonna Lefty.; 12/9/19, 10:11 PM
stephen cooper said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 10:12 PM
stephen cooper said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 10:15 PM
mockturtle said...: Pants comments: I like that movie just for the atmosphere.

And I can't drive up to Timberline Lodge, where it was mostly filmed, without strong recall.; 12/9/19, 10:16 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: @n.n

they are being slain with their own jawbone; 12/9/19, 10:20 PM
stephen cooper said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 10:21 PM
madAsHell said...: Why do I feel that the Horowitz report, and the subsequent statements by Barr, and Dunham to be a carefully choreographed theater of bad news?

Will Barr, and Dunham produce separate reports? I can see each subsequent report more damning than the former, and hammering the same points forward. It will be like a Trump pep rally!; 12/9/19, 10:23 PM
stephen cooper said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/9/19, 10:25 PM
Mark said...: Really interesting - and nice - to see Vanna at the Wheel.; 12/9/19, 10:29 PM
Tommy Duncan said...: Nadler: "We're trying to find something, anything to charge you with. We want you and your people to participate in our sham investigation and hereby order you to participate in our partisan witch hunt.

Trump: "You are nuts. We'll see you in court."

Nadler: "Aha. Now you've done it. Obstruction of Congress and Abuse of Power. We don't need no stinking courts. Congress can do what it wants. Checks and balances are for little people. We're in charge."; 12/9/19, 10:32 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Almost effortless. Reduces Hypertension. Easy to peek and see why you blocked. Free.; 12/9/19, 10:33 PM
FullMoon said...: Well, Nich, whatcha got to say about that?; 12/9/19, 10:35 PM
FullMoon said...: Jon Ericson said...

Almost effortless. Reduces Hypertension. Easy to peek and see why you blocked. Free.

I'm lookin' for an app that hides my comments from selected others...; 12/9/19, 10:39 PM
stephen cooper said...: come on FullMoon don't make fun of me ....

as God is my witness, I have prayed for everyone on this website who thinks I am crazy.

to sum up, I explained to nichevo that I really am not like other people, that I have seen the Emptiness that most of you would be afraid to get anywhere near, that I tried to figure out how to protect my friends from that Emptiness, and that I told nichevo that the reason I sound negative sometimes is because

I know this

there are two ways to live your life.
And nichevo is a good person, he made the right choices, I am sure, but what he does not know about me is this ....

I know it is easy to stop caring and I have played the fool again and again on the inter webs to keep people from making that bad choice, the choice to not care any more. Sometimes I connect with people, usually I don't.

I try.; 12/9/19, 10:40 PM
stephen cooper said...: and yes you all connect with others too

for God's sake I know that

we are all in this together; 12/9/19, 10:45 PM
Beasts of England said...: If you wanna close out your day with a bit of schadenfreude, watch Rep. Gaetz clobber the Dems impeachment lawyer at today’s hearing. :)

https://twitchy.com/dougp-3137/2019/12/09/omg-rep-matt-gaetz-shows-dem-counsels-pee-tape-tweet-at-impeachment-hearing-and-destroys-nonpartisan-investigator-spin/; 12/9/19, 10:47 PM
narciso said...: Unrelated

https://mobile.twitter.com/JordanSchachtel/status/1204145064722739200; 12/9/19, 11:02 PM
Ken B said...: Drago
One thing I bang on about here is that you cannot trust public polls, because they are manipulated, but you can trust private polls, because the people who pay for them want them accurate. The trouble is you never see them, but sometimes you see something that lets you infer what they say. The Dems suddenly dropped bribery? They must have done polls, and those polls must be brutal. For one thing, how can they justify even remotely the Nunes or Giuliani stuff except as part of the supposed bribery scheme? So dropping bribery is a huge hit.; 12/9/19, 11:05 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Someone executed a young cop who was outside the station waiting for his partner in our area yesterday.; 12/9/19, 11:12 PM
Birkel said...: The idea that the Executive can obstruct the Legislative is repulsive to the Constitution. The branches are supposed to be in constant tension. They're supposed to have competing interests that operate at cross-purposes.

The Executive cannot be made operationally inferior to the Legislative Branch.

The Democratics are terminally stupid.; 12/9/19, 11:19 PM
stephen cooper said...: God loves us all.

Somewhere in this world, someone in this world, knows that fact - the fact that GOD LOVES US ALL - which is a fact that is specifically applicable to every single person who comments here, no exceptions, including me .....

I have had a bad couple of years in 2017 and 8 and 9, watching people I cared about go through hardship that they never thought they would go through, but - and maybe this is the reward we all get for those years when God seemed to treat us like creatures who were not his real friends, who were lesser creatures in God's eyes than God's real friends - but after all, God loves us all.
Maybe the reward we have for those years the locust has eaten is this .....
We recognize that repentance for our sins is important, but another important thing is this -

remember that, once in your lifetime, you remember that someone told you that this GREAT THING is possible ---- God loves you, God loves everyone you know, and you and everyone you know will spend eternity in HEAVEN .

Lots of people, including me, have failed at expressing that simple fact.

BUT IT IS TRUE!!!!

CAN I BE MORE POSITIVE THAN THAT

GOD LOVES YOU AND WANTS YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE GOD'S BELOVED FRIEND

nah, I can't be more positive than that; 12/9/19, 11:19 PM
Birkel said...: How goes that slippery slope, Freeman Hunt?; 12/9/19, 11:19 PM
stephen cooper said...: well yeah maybe you will say

"we all have a need to be religious"

that is fine but you know and I know

that you have seen angels, or archangels, or cherubim, or seraphim

HOW CAN I BE MORE POSITIVE THAN THAT I AM REMINDING YOU OF THE TIMES YOU HAVE SEEN ANGELS OR
ARCHANGELS OR CHERUBIM OR SERAPHIM

or maybe you just saw, in the eyes of someone you loved, a look of kindness and love

HOW CAN I BE MORE POSITIVE THAN THAT

God loves you; 12/9/19, 11:22 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: "consensual monitoring" explained (G. Orwell call your office)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ELXwJB4WsAEPEcL.png:large; 12/9/19, 11:25 PM
Ken B said...: Freeman Hunt,
How did you get up Birkel's nose? I asked him about Berlin airlift and he went mental.; 12/9/19, 11:25 PM
Birkel said...: No, Ken B.
You lied.; 12/9/19, 11:29 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: "Michelle Obama Is Waiting In The Wings.
Joe Biden might be facing some competition soon."

https://humanevents.com/2019/12/09/michelle-obama-is-waiting-in-the-wings/

she will have to run on Barry's record, and the smidgens are coming home to roost; 12/9/19, 11:48 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Call me Ishmael; 12/9/19, 11:48 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: 'crimes were committed' against Hillary, et al

'mistakes were made' against Trump et al.; 12/9/19, 11:58 PM
Nichevo said...: FullMoon said...
Well, Nich, whatcha got to say about that?

I have no idea. What, did you get up his nose and make him delete all his posts again? I don't do the RSS thing so don't see his deletes.; 12/10/19, 12:25 AM
Drago said...: Ken B: "The trouble is you never see them, but sometimes you see something that lets you infer what they say."

Duh.

I never accept polls alone. I always view actions with those public polls to gauge actual conditions.

The panicked bums rush by the dems/LLR-leftists to just get impeachment done with only the biggest farcical charges tells me also the dems are getting murdered on the ground in terms of support.

Those farcical charges are intended to be discarded out of hand in the Senate to try and preclude any substantive look into what the dems/LLR-leftists have perpetrated.

Further, it is clear Pelosi is desperate to get on board with Trump to pass key bills, such as USMCA (that one is literally going to kill LLR-leftist Chuck!) and prescription drug price reductions.

Imagine being a moron dem/LLR-leftist whom Trump has been maneuvered into a position of being desperate to get a deal with The Donald!!

LOL

Trump is clearly an instinctive and intuitive deal making whiz.; 12/10/19, 12:26 AM
Nichevo said...: Steve, God may love us all, but you don't seem to like anybody. Everybody comes in for a criticism from you. You would clean up delivering eulogies-people would pay you a fortune to stay away!; 12/10/19, 12:29 AM
n.n said...: [Democrats] are being slain with their own jawbone

Here's to progress.; 12/10/19, 12:43 AM
Yancey Ward said...: I saw The Shining in the theater when it came out in the Summer of 1980. I liked it a great deal at that time, but like it quite a bit less today. Not a movie I would rewatch.

Narciso, Barry Lyndon is a must see movie.; 12/10/19, 12:44 AM
Crazy World said...: Absolutely gorgeous picture; 12/10/19, 12:53 AM
Yancey Ward said...: And you can't mention Kubrick without mentioning A Clockwork Orange.; 12/10/19, 12:56 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: “The idea that the Executive can obstruct the Legislative is repulsive to the Constitution. The branches are supposed to be in constant tension. They're supposed to have competing interests that operate at cross-purposes.”

“The Executive cannot be made operationally inferior to the Legislative Branch.”

The way it is supposed to work is that Congress issues a subpoena, the President refuses, typically on the grounds of Executive Privilege. Instead, the Democrats use the President’s likely very legitimate assertion of Executive Privilege as grounds for impeachment. Novel and unique (remember, they are working closely with the Lawfare Group). Of course the Dems likely knew that they weren’t going to win in the courts, since they were trying to investigate the President himself with their A1S1 Oversight power instead of their A1S2 impeachment power.; 12/10/19, 1:02 AM
Ken B said...: The Democrats are running against the constitution. They oppose: co equal branches, first amendment, electoral college, second amendment. Next election they will oppose equal senate and 15th amendment as well.; 12/10/19, 1:10 AM
Crazy World said...: Inman 9:31 that was the craziest thing I saw All day
N.n 12:31 it is a sight to behold; 12/10/19, 1:11 AM
Jaq said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/10/19, 4:16 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: So... Trump has been shown to be right all along. Flynn, too, has been crucified. To think about if Hillary won in 2016. I'm waiting for Durham to bring the whip down on some ass.
Yes, Barry Lyndon is must see. Kubrick's visuals were always so lush.; 12/10/19, 5:27 AM
h said...: Here’s a recent economics paper basically declaring victory in the war on poverty: https://www.nber.org/papers/w26532#fromrss

“Abstract: We evaluate progress in President's Johnson's War on Poverty. We do so relative to the scientifically arbitrary but policy relevant 20 percent baseline poverty rate he established for 1963. No existing poverty measure fully captures poverty reductions based on the standard that President Johnson set. To fill this gap, we develop a Full-income Poverty Measure with thresholds set to match the 1963 Official Poverty Rate. We include cash income, taxes, and major in-kind transfers and update poverty thresholds for inflation annually. While the Official Poverty Rate fell from 19.5 percent in 1963 to 12.3 percent in 2017, our Full-income Poverty Rate based on President Johnson’s standards fell from 19.5 percent to 2.3 percent over that period. Today, almost all Americans have income above the inflation-adjusted thresholds established in the 1960s. Although expectations for minimum living standards evolve, this suggests substantial progress combatting absolute poverty since the War on Poverty began.”

One might expect that this would be good news for people who favor government programs – they work!! Instead, I think it’s more likely this will heralded by small government types.

I think this is a long term issue in public policy debates. Four possible positions: 1. Programs don’t work we should get rid of them; 2. Programs have succeeded, we don’t need them anymore; 3. Programs don’t work, we need to keep doing the same thing, except more; 4. Programs have succeeded, we can’t live without them.

Position 1 is traditional conservatism/libertarianism; but apparently inconsistent with the facts. I’m not sure who takes positions 2 and 3. Position 4 is traditional liberalism, but is kind of silly.; 12/10/19, 5:48 AM
Michael K said...: Today, almost all Americans have income above the inflation-adjusted thresholds established in the 1960s.

Mean while, it has destroyed the country. I am reading Amity Schlaes' book "Great Society."; 12/10/19, 6:40 AM
Fernandinande said...: as God is my witness, I have prayed for everyone on this website who thinks I am crazy.

My hair and teeth grew back recently - thanks!; 12/10/19, 7:02 AM
Birkel said...: I was an early adopter of dislike for stephen cooper and I'm disappointed it took some of you so long to speak up.; 12/10/19, 7:58 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: "How did you get up Birkel's nose? "

Birkel can't stand the fact that I think monuments honoring the Confederacy should be removed and really wants me to change my mind.; 12/10/19, 9:44 AM
Narr said...: Kubrick was an erratic genius. I'm surprised to find so much praise for Barry Lyndon--I love it but I'm usually in the minority. (Talk about historical nitpickery . . . no, not now.)

Paths of Glory, Strangelove, 2001, and Clockwork Orange are great films. BL might have been--Ryan O'Neal? YFKM?--and all the others have their moments except Eyes Wide Shut: all the parts are there but that one just doesn't move.

Was Kubrick the only notable director to use such a consistent stable of supporting actors?
The same people show up again and again.

Narr
No fan of Steven King or that whole genre; or of Nicholson and Duvall for that matter; 12/10/19, 9:58 AM
Nichevo said...: + 1 for Paths of Glory. Played it straight and a great film.

As for The Shining, it's always been tough to make Stephen King books into Stephen King movies. But The Shining, which I read at oh I don't know 8 or 10, is the only book to have ever given me nightmares.; 12/10/19, 11:06 AM
mockturtle said...: Narr asks, Was Kubrick the only notable director to use such a consistent stable of supporting actors?
The same people show up again and again.

No, there's also Tarantino as well as the Coens, to a lesser extent.; 12/10/19, 11:13 AM
mockturtle said...: Freeman explains: Birkel can't stand the fact that I think monuments honoring the Confederacy should be removed

Instead of honoring 'the Confederacy', isn't it fair to honor, say, Robert E. Lee? He wasn't exactly Hitler.; 12/10/19, 11:15 AM
FullMoon said...: I was an early adopter of dislike for stephen cooper and I'm disappointed it took some of you so long to speak up.

I like him. Makes me smile.
I like the Shining also.

I dislike haters tearing down historic statues in order to score points with their peer group .; 12/10/19, 11:17 AM
Narr said...: I've been in the trenches of the statue wars: they're over, the Rebels have lost again.

Narr
Rebel on my ma's side; 12/10/19, 11:32 AM
Birkel said...: Freeman Hunt,
That is an inaccurate (to the point of dishonest) encapsulation if my position. Shame on you.

My position is, and has been, that giving an inch to savages only encourages them to take a mile. Demands to take down confederate statues have then transformed into calls to remove George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and WEB DuBois from public recognition. Giving over the Danegeld has not reduced the demands of the Danes.

And every concession to a crazed opponent is an invitation to ruin.

You're a fool who cannot recognize the cultural momentum that has built beneath us as we race down a very slippery slope.; 12/10/19, 4:29 PM
mockturtle said...: And every concession to a crazed opponent is an invitation to ruin.

Wish Chick-Fil-A would have realized this.; 12/10/19, 5:20 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: "That is an inaccurate (to the point of dishonest) encapsulation if my position. Shame on you.

"My position is, and has been, that giving an inch to savages only encourages them to take a mile. Demands to take down confederate statues have then transformed into calls to remove George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and WEB DuBois from public recognition. Giving over the Danegeld has not reduced the demands of the Danes."

I think my summary was perfectly accurate. It's no concession. I've wanted those anti-liberty, anti-American monuments down for decades. I will not change my position just because a bunch of morons suddenly agree.; 12/10/19, 5:41 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: As for other monuments, people should be explaining why they're different, not defending what shouldn't be defended. To do anything else is to make the world a dumber place.; 12/10/19, 5:43 PM
stephen cooper said...: Fullmoon - the reason I post the way I do is because I realize that, although Ann is young and vigorous and basically kind-hearted, many people here are not, even many of the elderly Christians.

I try to get them angry at me for talking about God the way I do because I am a supremely gifted psychologist, and when I deal with older people who generally are complacent and like themselves, I am not going to make them think of God by sounding like Billy Graham's grandson. And if I get them to think of God because they are ornery and old and are angry at me, well that is better than leaving them to spend yet another cycle of not thinking about God in those almost endless cycles of thought that elderly people like Birkel, who joyfully told me when I first started posting here that when I died nobody would care but that when Paul McCartney died the whole world would mourn (Birkel was angry that I discussed Paul McCartney's status as just another musician, or something like that. Poor Boomer!)

When I Realize the opportunity to evangelize the old and crabby I could not decline to remind them
that God loves us all

even if everyone hates Stephen Cooper (see, I know how old people think!)

You see, I am a messenger to everyone and a friend to everyone who accepts friendship, but first I am a messenger.

Thanks for reading!; 12/10/19, 6:48 PM
stephen cooper said...: and of course not everyone hates Stephen Cooper.

Like I have said again and again, I have seen the kind eyes of angels looking at me with love and respect. At least once, and hopefully soon, at least twice.; 12/10/19, 6:50 PM
Birkel said...: Like I wrote, you're a fool.; 12/10/19, 7:48 PM
stephen cooper said...: by the way, Ann, if you are reading this - I felt bad the couple of times I "hijacked" a comment thread .... and also the many times where I wrote long comments .... but I promise you, I was not trying to exploit the hard work you have put into this site and just swoop in and ramble on - senex loquax, and that is not a good thing ..... I always had, in mind, the possibility that one of the commenters who have said such horrible things about me ..... that I have a bad soul, that when I die nobody will mourn .....

I just wanted the elderly crabby complainers to know that what they were doing was criticizing someone who had a soul just as they did.

That shtick about God not loving me as much as anyone else woke them up a little, because that is the great fear of the elderly, that they have been forgotten by God.

AND AS GOD IS MY WITNESS I USED TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE SADDEST OLD PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT GOD LOVES THEM JUST AS MUCH AS GOD LOVES THE CUTEST LITTLE BABY

Maybe I have lost my touch, maybe that is why Birkel et co. often show up with the negativity when I post, but I don't worry about that, because

I have not lost my touch, and thank you Ann, for the bandwidth.
Objectively speaking, there are not many people who are as interesting as you are ....
I could have been assigned to write comments that scream to the elderly GOD LOVES YOU on some boring website

but God bless you Ann for providing this website which is not boring for me to do that.

Oh and I promise not to write long comments again, I have done what I thought I needed to do here.

God bless you and Meade.
My parents met in Whitewater, allegedly at a bridge game, in the very early 50s.

For the record, someday I plan to write a novel about Efim Polenov, who after providing a foster home (maids, butlers, cooks, and so on) for a few years 2 out of the 4 Karamazov brothers just decided to live life on a broader scale and emigrated to America, where he became the Poirot of the John Ford era West.

somewhere around 2022 ....

832! (8 is an important month, August, there were 3 of us in the house, and 2 out of the 3 of us were the most wonderful dogs one can imagine ---- it was like a page out of mythology!!!!, except God loved us because we knew that God had sent his only son to redeem US ALL!!!!); 12/11/19, 8:18 PM