Althouse: Sunrise

January 20, 2023

Sunrise — 7:14.

30 comments:

Known Unknown said...: I went and got a bit meta with ChatGPT:

https://twitter.com/daviscreates/status/1616595060170145795?s=20&t=FVWxzFCyOO15bushThHMQQ; 1/20/23, 6:35 PM
Eva Marie said...: The similarities between Harry and Hunter:
From A Tale of Two Princes by J Peder Zane at Real Clear Politics
“Both are the second sons of powerful fathers – one a king, the other a president – reared in the shadow of their golden siblings. Harry’s brother, William, is in line to be king; Hunter’s brother, Beau, was being groomed for greatness before his death from cancer in 2015.”
“They have enjoyed riches beyond our wildest imagination, but everything they have is based on their birthright.”
Both lost their mothers at an early age in car accidents.
“He [Harry] along with his wife, Meghan Markle, have been on a years-long crusade to undermine and perhaps vanquish the centuries-old monarchy . . .”
“While Hunter’s motivations are not clear, there is no doubt that his laptop poses the single greatest threat to his father’s fortunes.”; 1/20/23, 6:48 PM
Owen said...: Brrrrr.; 1/20/23, 6:57 PM
mongo said...: I read that Big Pharma is working on an mRNA shot to prevent RSV. I thought mRNA was proven, or at least strongly suspected, to be the problem with the COVID-19 shots. Please set me straight, or, as Frank Sinatra would have said, clue me.; 1/20/23, 7:10 PM
madAsHell said...: That looks Biblical!!; 1/20/23, 7:10 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Dick Van Dyke reads a speech, written by Rod Serling, that he delivered on 5/31/64 at the LA Coliseum amongst notable presenters as Dr.Martin Luther King Jr...

“A Most Non-Political Speech” by Rod Serling; 1/20/23, 7:40 PM
Lurker21 said...: Yellowjackets was alright. They solved the central mystery, but then set themselves up for a second season, with a much more supernatural (and probably lesser) plot. There's often a big letdown in stories of the uncanny or supernatural when they start explaining the unexplained phenomena.

Todd Haynes's documentary on the Velvet Underground was very good and brought together a lot of information and insight about art and rock in the Sixties/Seventies. The special features weren't that great, but the film did make me want to listen to the group's music again (or for the first time).

I watched a few minutes of House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel. I loved GOT but couldn't get into HOTD. It seemed pretty silly. You need to go through some gradual sensitization process to be able to take this stuff seriously.; 1/20/23, 7:42 PM
HistoryDoc said...: In regards to yesterday's post of the failure to identify the Supreme Court leaker, I have to wonder how the 5 conservative justices view Roberts'charade of an investigation. I think it's reasonably likely that Roberts was the leaker, and is showing them that he could nearly have them killed if they don't buckle up and play (liberal) ball.

I believe all of them can see this, and understand that a lot better now, and will think twice before crossing the Chief again.

If he comes to your chambers to try to persuade you to join his argument on some important case, you better make sure your life insurance is fully paid up and your family is moved to a safe house.; 1/20/23, 7:45 PM
Jaq said...: That ChatGPT was kind of funny, but, as usual, AI annoyingly makes the same point multiple times in slightly different ways, but there were snippets of it that were not terrible. A human editor could work with that.; 1/20/23, 8:19 PM
Narr said...: In regard to ChatGPT's not-terribleness and human editing: why can't AI edit better?; 1/20/23, 8:38 PM
n.n said...: UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
CASE No. 22-14102-CV-MIDDLEBROOKS

She also indicated that, while Mr. Trump doubted the suit would succeed, she nevertheless “fought” to pursue it:

You know, I have to share with you a story, Sean, that I have not
shared with anybody. The recourse that I have at this point is
obviously to appeal this to the 11th Circuit as Gregg said. But when
I brought this case and we were assigned you know, this judge and
we went through the recusal process, we lost five magistrates,
including Reinhart [sic] who’s dealing with the boxes as we know.
The former president looked at me and he told me, you know what
Alina. You’re not going to win. You can’t win, just get rid of it,
don’t do the case. And I said, no, we have to fight. It’s not right
what happened. And you know, he was right, and it’s a sad day for
me personally because I fought him on [it] and I should have
listened, but I don’t want to lose hope in our system. I don’t. So,
you know I’m deciding whether we’re going to appeal it.

Hostile jurisdiction.; 1/20/23, 8:53 PM
Known Unknown said...: Here is a friendlier link.

I forgot how much Blogger hates its users.; 1/20/23, 8:54 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Here is how speech policing really works. Soon, you are going have to think long and hard about how to say something in terms of how IT MAY retroactively get you in hot water tomorrow.

Self-censorship is the best kind of censorship money doesn't even have to be spent.; 1/20/23, 9:06 PM
gadfly said...: Eva Marie said...
The similarities between Harry and Hunter:

“Both are the second sons of powerful fathers – one a king, the other a president – reared in the shadow of their golden siblings. Harry’s brother, William, is in line to be king; Hunter’s brother, Beau, was being groomed for greatness before his death from cancer in 2015.”

“They have enjoyed riches beyond our wildest imagination, but everything they have is based on their birthright.”

Both lost their mothers at an early age in car accidents.

What about Eric Trump, second son of The Don, called "Qusay" as an insult to Saddam Hussein's second son?

Eric and his brother "Uday" were shunted by Daddy in favor of lap-sitting Ivanka.

Eric also lost his mother who died strangely and mysteriously by falling down a short flight of carpeted stairs. It was an accident, doncha know? Her casket was so heavy that it required a dozen men to carry it down to the curb. Perhaps there were boxes of classified documents therein?; 1/20/23, 9:20 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Toothpaste and toothbrushes are under lock and key in NYC store isles.; 1/20/23, 9:30 PM
rcocean said...: Someone mentioned Dick Van Dyke. I've had a chance to revist the Dick Van Dyke show and watch some of the episodes. Its incredible in a few ways. Two amazing talents: MTM and Van Dyke doing 3o episodes of TV for 5 years, for one. And the excellent writing/directing, for another. Of course, wrting is the bedrock of every TV , but MTM and Van Dyke vastly improve it.

Van Dyke had a real talent for physical comedy. And MTM could sing, dance, and do serious acting. They had great chemistry together. ITs sad that they didn't have more song/dance numbers.

On the downside: Like all Network TV before the 1980s there are a LOT of indifferent episodes. They were churning them out -30 per year, and about 1/2 are just adequate time-wasting filler. And some of the supporting actors and guest "stars" - Oy vey! Sometimes you think Carl Reiner just asked his next neighbors or someone at his local synagogue if they'd like appear on the show.; 1/20/23, 10:30 PM
Chuck said...: A remarkable, fascinating decision in the case of Andrew Warren, the former Hillsborough County (FL) state's attorney, who was fired by Governor Ron DeSantis. Warren was an elected state's attorney, a constitutional office holder under Florida law. But in a peculiar quirk of that state's law, the state attorneys for Florida's 20 judicial circuits serve as officers in the executive branch, overseen by the governor.

Warren, a Democrat, campaigned and won election as a "reform" prosecutor, after which Governor DeSantis fired him. There was no case whatsoever of the routine bases for removal; “malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony.” DeSantis, it was soon clear, was firing Warren to score political points; to make an example of a "woke" prosecutor who, DeSantis falsely claimed, was making it a policy to not prosecute certain crimes.

In the decision, just released this evening, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle (Senior Judge for the Northern District of Florida), ruled in favor of DeSantis, based on a narrow finding that there was no federal/Constitutional remedy available for what he found to have been a clearly wrongful termination.

It's a 59-page opinion and order, and it is a gorgeous bit of legal writing. Judge Hinkle does a magnificent job of summarizing the case, laying out the problems of federal courts ruling on particular state constitutional issues, and why there can be no federal relief for Plaintiff Warren.

In the process, Judge Hinkle excoriates Ron DeSantis. DeSantis is shown to be, fundamentally, a liar in his media-orchestrated dismissal of Warren. It was a violation of Florida's constitution. However, as a federal judge, Hinkle observed that he did not have the authority to decide the peculiarly Florida issue.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flnd.442724/gov.uscourts.flnd.442724.150.0.pdf; 1/20/23, 11:47 PM
Mutaman said...: Trump has to pay HRC $170,000.00 Are the good Althouse posters going to send Trump some $ to defray his costs? That includes you, Meade. See if Ann will give you a few bucks.; 1/21/23, 1:03 AM
Kate said...: As Bing would say, @mongo, Here's the wrinkle ...; 1/21/23, 2:49 AM
Humperdink said...: Just reported: 251,000 migrant encounters at the southern border in December 2022. In December 2021 it was 179,000, a mere 40% increase. Thirty (30) families landed in Jamestown, NY, a small hamlet 20 minutes north of me in upstate NY. Where are the rest of them? (A rhetorical question)

"The border is secure"; 1/21/23, 5:31 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’ But in a peculiar quirk of that state's law..

Is not a peculiar quirk, it’s simply Florida law, as the judge admitted. lol; 1/21/23, 7:21 AM
Rusty said...: Mutaman said...
"Trump has to pay HRC $170,000.00 Are the good Althouse posters going to send Trump some $ to defray his costs? That includes you, Meade. See if Ann will give you a few bucks."
You voted for Biden. You moron. You owe everybody here a tank of gas.
Thanks for ruining the economy. Shithead.; 1/21/23, 7:47 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: In regard to ChatGPT's not-terribleness and human editing: why can't AI edit better?

If ChatGPT is truly based on every word ever written since the beginning of the written word, that could mean the written word, since the beginning, has a volume bias. Or it could be that volume is price of precision. Precision with regard to the rules of conveyance and not their substance.; 1/21/23, 8:09 AM
Tina Trent said...: Chuck, you tell a pretty bold lie. Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren indeed openly pledged that he would not enforce certain Florida laws. DeSantis had every legal right to fire him in Florida. This isn't about free speech: it is about a state employeee, a prosecutor, violating his official oath to uphold Florida law by saying he will -- systematically -- not enforce certain laws he is required to uphold. Then he took his employment case to the wrong jurisdiction.

Not a good look to dumbly try to squiggle around civil procedure, when you're a frigging State Attorney, eh?

Governors should purge any official whom they may do so legally under their jurisdiction who violates their oath of office by creating sanctuary cities and other deviations from the proper jurisdiction's electoral will as enacted by the legislature.

It's called democracy.

The courts, jury dolts, and prosecutor cabal from Tampa to Sarasota could use a good scrubdown. Remember Carlie Brucia? Her killer got off, was acquitted, or wasn't even prosecuted for dragging several other women off the streets with the intent to torture, rape, and possibly murder them.

I am a victim of these courts. They're cesspools of offender-loving judges, juries, and even many DAs.; 1/21/23, 8:19 AM
Tina Trent said...: Chuck, you tell a pretty bold lie. Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren indeed openly pledged that he would not enforce certain Florida laws. DeSantis had every legal right to fire him in Florida. This isn't about free speech: it is about a state employeee, a prosecutor, violating his official oath to uphold Florida law by saying he will -- systematically -- not enforce certain laws he is required to uphold. Then he took his employment case to the wrong jurisdiction.

Not a good look to dumbly try to squiggle around civil procedure, when you're a frigging State Attorney, eh?

Governors should purge any official whom they may do so legally under their jurisdiction who violates their oath of office by creating sanctuary cities and other deviations from the proper jurisdiction's electoral will as enacted by the legislature.

It's called democracy.

The courts, jury dolts, and prosecutor cabal from Tampa to Sarasota could use a good scrubdown. Remember Carlie Brucia? Her killer got off, was acquitted, or wasn't even prosecuted for dragging several other women off the streets with the intent to torture, rape, and possibly murder them.

I am a victim of these courts. They're cesspools of offender-loving judges, juries, and even many DAs.; 1/21/23, 8:19 AM
Jaq said...: "why can't AI edit better"

Because it's not intelligent.; 1/21/23, 9:06 AM
Narr said...: "Because it's not intelligent."

Gold star for t.i.v.

That's the point. It's not and never will be intelligent, and only dumbasses think it ever will be. Highly credentialed, highly paid, energetic and idealistic dumbasses at the forefront of hubris and delusion.; 1/21/23, 10:45 AM
Chuck said...: Tina Trent;

Unlike you, I supplied the link to Judge Middlebrooks’ full opinion. Readers are strongly encouraged to read all of it for themselves. With my own personal encouragement that it is very readable and carefully reasoned.

Three things for you:

1. The choice on going to federal court may have been a very close call, with a solid strategic basis, for Warren. For his part, Judge Middlebrooks said in effect that one of the few dispositive issues that he determined in DeSantis’ favor was “close and could reasonably be decided either way.” P. 52. Moreover, the state claim has only been dismissed by the federal court without prejudice. Warren may yet be able to go into a Florida state court for relief, and if he does so, it will be with this powerful anti-DeSantis opinion.

2. In light of your nastiness, let’s go further into the depth of DeSanatis’ fuckery in this case. It was a bench trial. Witnesses were called. Warren and his assistants all testified. The judge was impressed with their candor and the completeness and veracity of their testimony. DeSantis refused to testify at all, and fought for an order to block even a deposition. Judge Middlebrooks noted all of that in his opinion.

3. Finally; what Judge Middlebrooks said at a half dozen places in this opinion — you should have read it before commenting — was that while DeSantis alleged that Warren had a non-prosecution policy for certain crimes, DeSantis could not supply any evidence of such a policy. What actually happened was that in case after case after case, Warren and his line prosecutors employed individualized prosecutorial discretion. Like all cases. In no way was there evidence to support the DeSantis claim that Warren was refusing to uphold particular laws.

I’ll say again; you should have read the opinion when I gave you the link.; 1/21/23, 11:57 AM
Chuck said...: My sincere apologies.

I referred to “Judge Middlebrooks” just above. An error. It was, as I originally stated, Judge Hinkle who ruled on Warren v. DeSantis.

Judge Middlebrooks — another US District Judge in a different Florida Division — had made the much-publicized ruling in the matter of sanctions after dismissing Trump v Clinton, et al.; 1/21/23, 12:24 PM
Mutaman said...: Rusty said...

"You voted for Biden. You moron. You owe everybody here a tank of gas.
Thanks for ruining the economy. Shithead."

Gee Rusty I'm having the best year of my life financially. Sorry to hear you're not doing that well. Maybe you should have pursued a bit more education.; 1/21/23, 10:57 PM