Althouse: At the First Day of Spring Café...

March 19, 2024

At the First Day of Spring Café...

... you can talk about whatever you want.

49 comments:

tim in vermont said...: LOL, Ukrainians just gave that Canadian Waffen SS soldier, who got a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament for fighting on the side of Hitler against the Red Army, a medal.; 3/19/24, 7:19 PM
tim in vermont said...: Here's the link: Stephen McIntyre@ClimateAudit

This is crazy. The SS veteran who was given standing ovation in Canadian parliament - which then tried to distance itself from him - was just given award in Ukraine named after Nazi collaborator Stetsko.; 3/19/24, 7:28 PM
Linda said...: Just watching ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ on Netflix which documents the making of “We Are the World”. I am really enjoying it - haven’t see you mention it - but thought you might like it - Dylan looks so awkward, clearly not his scene.; 3/19/24, 7:34 PM
rehajm said...: That Ginsburg award thingie foundation website is ‘down’…meaning information lefties don’t want people to see needs to come down now that someone is actually looking…; 3/19/24, 8:34 PM
roger said...: This story died in a hurry

https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/parents-girl-injured-viral-fight-hazelwood-east-release-statement-st-louis/63-ce11b192-77b1-4309-a9ae-43c8c351f000; 3/19/24, 8:38 PM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: Was briefly exposed to CNN this afternoon. Erin Burnett and on of the other News Barbies were talking about Trump's bond issues. Interestingly enough, they were speaking in somewhat serious tones about it and acknowledged that, like most billionaires, most of Trump's assets were not liquid and that he would probably have to disclose of some properties. They also acknowledged that he hadn't really wasn't given enough time to sell anything should he have to. I found this a bit odd, coming from them.

Later on they began to list his notable properties and the reported values, going so far as to say that he could easily get $240M for Mar-A-Lago. That's when I stood up and yelled; "How's he supposed to get $240M when that [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] Engoron got up in open court and said the property was really only worth $18M!!!!". Needless to say, my CNN-addled family members were in shock and none too happy. But, hey, fuck 'em!

Also, I'm wondering if the optics on Letetia Jame's little scam aren't turning to shit.; 3/19/24, 8:55 PM
Mutaman said...: You'd think that some right wing billionaire would love having a future President half a billion in debt to them. But still no one will pony up the money.
Maybe they do not actually believe that he is a future President.; 3/19/24, 9:06 PM
Merny11 said...: Anyone else watch the new season of Somebody Feed Phil? I was so disappointed- he changed it from an entertaining travel and food show to politics. Jake Tapper and Pete Buttcrack as dinner guests? Asking how they feel about our country’s future? Remarks that ALL immigrants improve our country? Ugh!; 3/19/24, 9:11 PM
TickTock said...: Was someone playing tic tac toe in the clouds?; 3/19/24, 9:29 PM
Josephbleau said...: She is handsome, she is pretty, she is the bell of Belfast city.

Wind and the rain and the hail come high, she’l get her own lad by and by.; 3/19/24, 9:30 PM
Lem the artificially intelligent said...: The newest member of the Supremes line of questioning yesterday seemed amenable to the idea of having the government pressure online platforms for content moderation.

Oh shit.; 3/19/24, 10:05 PM
Rosalyn C. said...: I guess I am out of touch with my super liberal town. Today I went to my optometrist's office to get an adjustment on a new pair of glasses. In the course of the conversation I mentioned something another staff member had said about the problem, but who was not in the store at this time. I referred to what "she said" and I was corrected by the young woman serving me who told me that person is referred to as "they." My sales associate was insistent that I get the pronouns right. I got a little pissed and said, "I'm too old for that" to avoid getting into a discussion about my feelings on the matter. Making a fuss about preferred pronouns for someone who is not present goes beyond my sense of etiquette. As far as I am concerned another person's gender identity is private, it's none of my business.

If I get to know the person personally I will respect their preference, but do I really have to inquire about everyone's gender identity? There was another associate in the store and I suggested asking about "his" opinion on the problem, but then I had to stop myself and ask if I was correct in calling him "him?" That was incredibly bizarre. Laughable.

Is this the new normal? Are other people having this problem? Or is this just my idiot town?; 3/19/24, 10:14 PM
Caroline said...: Went to a toy store for an Easter happy for the grands. What’s up with all the celebrity children’s books? Matthew mcconnahay, Jim fallon, Dolly Parton… saw at least five. Definitely a thing. Not a good thing, mind you.; 3/19/24, 10:14 PM
AZ Bob said...: I am surprised that our esteemed constitutional law professor hasn't set up a post on Justice Jackson's statement:

“So, my biggest concern is that your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the government in significant ways in the most important time periods.”

Call me old fashioned but I thought the point of the Bill of Rights was to hamstring the government.; 3/19/24, 10:27 PM
Mutaman said...: Melania must be shitting a brick as it dawns on her that there will be no money coming from hubby.; 3/19/24, 10:45 PM
Rusty said...: Tim said, "Canadian Waffen SS soldier, who got a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament for fighting on the side of Hitler against the Red Army, a medal."
That's very sad. My friends father was in the Northern Nova Scotia Highlanders in ww2 and is a genuine war hero. He was wounded in the Battle of Authie where they stood down the 12th panzer division. Preventing them from reaching the beaches at normandy.He was wounded in both legs and was a prisoner of war.; 3/19/24, 11:15 PM
Readering said...: Quite the wild ride with Texas SB4.; 3/19/24, 11:20 PM
Jupiter said...: The Secret Service agents who provide security to Donald Trump have been instructed not to wear red ties. This is because Donald Trump wears red ties. The image of a number of fit, virile men, traveling in his wake, wearing ties of precisely the same cut and color as his, was troubling to someone in the upper echelons of the Secret Service. It might be surmised, that these men had come to admire him, and, indeed, to wish to express that admiration by emulation. Perhaps they had even begun to transfer their allegiance, from the craven, sick, weak, epicene enemies of the American people who supervise them, to the obviously superior man in whose congenial company they found themselves. President Donald Trump salutes those who serve him. And they understand, that he sees their service as a shared sacrifice in a high calling, which is ennobling, not degrading.

It has not proven necessary to instruct the Secret Service agents providing security to F. Joe Biden to refrain from wearing waffle-sole shoes.; 3/19/24, 11:24 PM
Jupiter said...: Just watching ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ on Netflix which documents the making of “We Are the World”.

So, you're watching a documentary about the filming of a Coca-Cola commercial? Or, wait, was that Pepsi? I'd like to tell the World a joke? I'd like to watch the World go broke? I'd like to guzzle til I choke? Whatever. At some point, brown sugar-water is, eh, kinda, brown. Water. With sugar in it. I guess that could be a stirring spectacle. I'd like to shag some famous bloke. I hope it all goes up in smoke. Were I a frog, I'd love to croak. Have you a pig, inside your poke? Over the line, a single toke.

Extra credit; who said, "Okey-dokey, artichokey"?; 3/19/24, 11:38 PM
Mike Sylwester said...: Ukrainians just gave that Canadian Waffen SS soldier, who got a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament for fighting on the side of Hitler against the Red Army, a medal.

If that was his only choice, then joining the Waffen SS instead of the Red Army might have been the moral decision.; 3/19/24, 11:46 PM
Kate said...: We voted so long ago in AZ by mail-in that today's results have no bearing on whether Nikki is still viable or if a vote for Marianne serves as an anti-Biden protest. Events move too quickly for that kind of analysis.; 3/20/24, 2:23 AM
gadfly said...: How much does Trump owe and where can he get the money?

The first judgment against Trump is an $83 million penalty for continuing to shoot his mouth off on social media about Carroll.

The second judgment against Trump is a $355 million civil fraud penalty for ripping off banks and insurers.

Interest accrued before the ruling added another $104 million through March 19.

There’s $392,000 that Trump paid The New York Times a couple of weeks ago for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

There’s $938,000 that a judge last year ordered Trump and his attorney to pay Hillary Clinton for filing a frivolous RICO lawsuit.

There’s $382,000 that a London judge ordered Trump to pay Orbis Business Intelligence, founded by Christopher Steele for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

There’s the $5 million that Trump paid earlier in the Carroll rape case.

There’s $110,000 in contempt fees that Trump accrued for attacking NY AG Letitia James during the civil fraud prosecution.

Added, these numbers approximate $556 million and we can't know what the ongoing tax audit covering 2016 through 2019 will bring nor the ongoing fees owed to lawyers for all his legal dealings but he is tossing more away with the lawsuit against ABC and Stephanopoulos.

If forced to sell his NYC properties there is very little to sell. Most of the buildings with Trump's name displayed he doesn't own. Trump Tower has value in the penthouse triplex he owns and he gets income from retail spaces, but occupancy is declining so the value has gone down. Trump owns the 40 Wall St. ground lease only. which has no value anymore. Trump owns 30% of 1290 Sixth Ave. but Vornado runs it and he will be dead before he can get his hands on his share. So we are down to Trump Seven Springs in Westchester County. Trump has never figured out what to do with its mansion and 112 acres. Now he can sell it - maybe the Saudis will overpay.

So Out-of-State and Foreign Golf Courses and Mar-a-Lago make up most of his properties.; 3/20/24, 3:01 AM
wendybar said...: THIS is Joe Bidens America

STAY out of New York City. It is being run by criminals who are letting criminals run wild.

They just arrested a HOME OWNER for changing her locks on a squatter, and proceed to let the squatter stay in HER HOUSE.

This is going to give Joe's illegals a great idea. All they have to do, is find a house they like, and VOILA!! They have a new home!!

Get a gun. There is nobody who is going to protect your rights anymore. YOU have to protect yourself. They hate you.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13216813/Vigilantes-squatters-Queens-home-arrested.html; 3/20/24, 3:06 AM
wendybar said...: Progressives are dancing with glee....abortions are up!! Murdering babies hasn't stopped!! What a joyous first day of Spring...celebrating 1,026,700 abortions in 2023!! YAY!! Way to kill off Americans so illegals have the place all to themselves!!!
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tim-graham/2024/03/19/npr-owns-pro-lifers-suck-it-study-finds-abortions-america-are; 3/20/24, 3:23 AM
Howard said...: A smattering of snowflakes this morning now that it's fully spring. Isn't life in these United States full of wonder and joy? I think I'll get a haircut today. Haircut was a recommended word, sometimes I think my phone reads my mind. Maybe it sees my hair length and guesses.

I still don't understand the difference between the red pill and the blue pill, lol.; 3/20/24, 3:55 AM
Tina Trent said...: Welcome, tree pollen overlords.; 3/20/24, 5:20 AM
rehajm said...: Heat pump is cranking, oak leaves are falling, no hummingbirds, no bluebirds, deer are eating my ferns because there’s nothing else, just had to shovel pollen off the walk. Think I’ll go choke that PA weather marmot…; 3/20/24, 5:41 AM
Humperdink said...: Kurt Schlichter, retired military, author, lawyer: "Trump isn’t our last chance. Trump is their last chance."

Interesting perspective.; 3/20/24, 5:47 AM
Humperdink said...: Where in the world is Apple CEO Tim Cook today? Communist China of course. I suspect in full grovel mode.; 3/20/24, 5:49 AM
lonejustice said...: After more than two decades of service and leadership in NASA, four Nazi members from Operation Paperclip were awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1969: Kurt Debus, Eberhard Rees, Arthur Rudolph, and Wernher von Braun.

Was this crazy too?; 3/20/24, 6:03 AM
Leland said...: they were speaking in somewhat serious tones about it and acknowledged that, like most billionaires, most of Trump's assets were not liquid and that he would probably have to disclose of some properties. They also acknowledged that he hadn't really wasn't given enough time to sell anything should he have to. I found this a bit odd, coming from them.

They don’t care. They have a talking point to criticize Trump and mock him. That’s all they wanted. They are not discussing justice, logic, or fairness because there is none in the story. The only matter was to take things from Trump.; 3/20/24, 6:04 AM
Enigma said...: While Canada went off its rocker close to 10 years ago (i.e., Jordan Peterson's first public clash with the Woke crowd happened in 2016 after a new Canadian law criminalized speech), the world's opinions of the Nazis changed dramatically near the end of WW2. Absent the German concentration camps, many people might defend "progressive, tech-driven" Hitler still.

There were Nazi-themed summer camps in 1930s USA as Hitler rose in power. There were UK royals who sympathized with them, and PM Neville Chamberlain infamously declared "peace in our time." There were quite a few French Nazi anti-Jewish sympathizers (and swastika graffiti today). There were openly anti-Jewish publications and positions in the Middle East (see post-Oct 7 Gaza protests too). Finally, Hitler and Stalin had an alliance before Hitler literally went insane and attacked the USSR.

Back in his day, Hitler combined Nationalism and Socialism (Na Zi) to push back against foreign governments and demand change after WW1. Germany was dead broke per the requirement to pay war reparations. It's not a surprise that today's Globalist Socialists (e.g., Canada) who Demand Change Now are rhyming with history.

Scratch out "Nationalism" and replace with full UN control -- that's where the left is today. Corrupt and destructive slowly, slowly, slowly and then all at once.; 3/20/24, 6:13 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2zk56DDjGc&
Temptin'; 3/20/24, 6:15 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "Just watching ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ on Netflix which documents the making of “We Are the World”. I am really enjoying it - haven’t see you mention it - but thought you might like it - Dylan looks so awkward, clearly not his scene."

When "We Are the World" first came out, MTV had a making-of documentary and I watched that. I remember Dylan's reaction and rewatched it many times in YouTube clips. It's the only part of the event that I can bear to watch. It's the part I identify with.

I loathe the song with its focus on the singers — "we are the ones" etc. etc. They're so into themselves! Just give money and don't let the right hand know what the left hand is doing why don't they?; 3/20/24, 6:23 AM
WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...: remember when I said they will make sure the race is tied in the polls - and then crook husk-puppet Joe will win in Nov?

Please remember that.
I hope I am wrong. But - there is a reason they won't pull Joe. They know they can do it again.; 3/20/24, 6:31 AM
Enigma said...: Disgusted by "We are the World" you say?

Do you recall the early COVID-era 2020 celebrity video with pathetic lonely extraverts saying "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it people like me"? Then a couple years later, they went on strike after not enough people liked them or liked their failed woke movies...

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/gal-gadot-s-imagine-instagram-video-was-peak-cringe-year-ncna1261685

Make the world a better place. Boycott a celebrity today.; 3/20/24, 6:32 AM
wendybar said...: "Before Barack Obama, America’s race relations had been largely improving for 40 years. With his “the police acted stupidly” comment, things got off on the wrong foot, and after the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, things went south quickly.

Then, George Floyd’s death in 2020 sent race relations into a tailspin. With the riots and the shilling for BLM by everyone from the NFL to Microsoft to congressional Democrats, things took a decidedly bad turn. Suddenly, we were told systemic racism was to be found everywhere, from law enforcement to math to punctuality to proper English."

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/03/theres_a_deadly_race_war_raging_in_america.html; 3/20/24, 6:37 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Happening Now,
Imagine a government $34 Trillion in debt, incurring another $1 Trillion every 100 days telling YOU to learn to live with less while
funding foreign invaders to REPLACE YOU WITH YOUR OWN MONEY.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1770030227390914624; 3/20/24, 6:46 AM
tim in vermont said...: "There were Nazi-themed summer camps in 1930s USA "

were?

Lots of Ukrainian Nazis escaped "European persecution" in Canada.; 3/20/24, 7:09 AM
tim in vermont said...: "If that was his only choice, then joining the Waffen SS instead of the Red Army might have been the moral decision."

I used to have sympathy for them, if it were easier to search the comments here, I would link to such comments I have made, until I understood how deeply they drank of the ideology, especially it's racist aspects. Nietzsche said that one should beware, when fighting monsters, that one does not become a monster.

Ukrainians were enthusiastic participants in the Holocaust, not just murdering Jews, but the Poles who happened to live on the land that Hitler had given to Ukraine in a handshake with Stalin. Making a hero out of an ethnic cleanser makes one wonder about what their plans are for Crimea and the Donbas if they win. If it were really about liberation from both ideologies, as the Ukrainians claim today out of one side of their mouth, while honoring evil monsters like Stephan Bandera, out of the other, why would the Ukrainians have gone to Slovakia to brutally put down a Slovak rebellion against the Nazis?; 3/20/24, 7:18 AM
Rusty said...: lonejustice said...
"After more than two decades of service and leadership in NASA, four Nazi members from Operation Paperclip were awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1969: Kurt Debus, Eberhard Rees, Arthur Rudolph, and Wernher von Braun.

Was this crazy too?"

Have you read the history? Do you know why the Russians chose to use big clusters of rocket motors and we chose to develop big motors?; 3/20/24, 8:12 AM
wendybar said...: Barron Trump turns 18 today. He’s fair game now. pic.twitter.com/S6kiROUWD5

— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 20, 2024

Looks like Mike Sington was lusting after a minor and is happy he is of age, because last I knew, leftyland was crying about the right harassing poor, poor little Hunter Biden who is the sweet child of the President.; 3/20/24, 9:23 AM
Dr Weevil said...: Since 'tim in vermont' is back on his 'Ukrainians are Nazis' tirade:

1. He has told us more than once that his grandmother lived in the Netherlands under German occupation.

2. More Dutchmen (20,000-25,000) joined the Waffen SS than Ukrainians (~20,000), despite it being a much smaller country, so proportionally it was far more. And all their units had 'volunteer' in their names, since they were not forced to choose between serving Hitler or serving Stalin, as Ukrainians and other slaves of the USSR often were.

Ergo:

3. 'tim in vermont' is more likely than the average Ukrainian of today to have a Nazi war criminal or two in his family tree.

He's also remarkably tolerant of Nazis in Ukraine, as long as they're serving in the Russian army. I've told him twice about the top leader of Rusich who's suing the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for calling him a "Ukrainian neo-Nazi" - no reply. Alexei Milchakov is a proud Russian neo-Nazi, in fact he often leaves off the "neo-" and calls himself "Nazi", and that doesn't bother our boy 'tim in vermont' at all. Why is that?; 3/20/24, 9:24 AM
BG said...: wendybar said, "...They just arrested a HOME OWNER for changing her locks on a squatter, and proceed to let the squatter stay in HER HOUSE.
This is going to give Joe's illegals a great idea. All they have to do, is find a house they like, and VOILA!! They have a new home!!"

Not only that, but a federal judge in Illinois ruled that illegal immigrants can carry guns.
https://nypost.com/2024/03/20/us-news/illinois-judge-rules-illegal-migrants-can-carry-guns/
But, of course, legal citizens of Illinois are required to follow all the rules.

What could possibly go wrong?; 3/20/24, 10:20 AM
tim in vermont said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/20/24, 10:33 AM
tim in vermont said...: I deleted a comment because I realized that it contained wording that a dishonest person could take completely out of context. Of course, since I am basically an honest person, I didn't think about that at first.

Anyway, towns in the Netherlands are not giving medals to members of the Waffen SS today.; 3/20/24, 11:11 AM
wendybar said...: "Tony Bobulinski: Yet the same people preaching this mantra know better. They continue to lie directly to the American people without hesitation and remorse. Rep. Dan Goldman and Jamie Raskin, both lawyers, and Mr. Goldman, a former prosecutor with the SDNY from New York, will continue to lie today in this hearing and then go straight to the media to tell more lies. Hunter Biden’s defense attorney, Abby Lowell, weaponizes letters to Congress to try to smear my name. Mr. Chairman, state the cold, hard facts."

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/03/boom-jamie-raskin-fumes-after-hunter-bidens-business/; 3/20/24, 11:38 AM
Dr Weevil said...: Anyone who has to tell us he is "basically [emphasis added] an honest person" is nothing of the sort, and the adverb is hilariously weasely.

Why can't 'tim in vermont' acknowledge that most of the actual admitted Nazis fighting in Ukraine today are fighting for the Russians? Why can't he admit that Milchakov is a proud Russian Nazi? That Utkin, founder of the Wagner Group, had swastika and SS tattoos and named his group for Hitler's favorite composer? That Wagner in Africa is now calling itself 'Afrika Korps' after Rommel's Nazis? That the Russians are in fact acting like Nazis in Ukraine right now, looting, raping, torturing, kidnapping children and adults, bombing civilian targets every night, and that they boast about their war-crimes on TV? He's so worried about what Ukraine could theoretically do to ethnic Russians in occupied Ukraine that he can't be bothered to care about what Russians are doing there right now.

And just yesterday (link, 7:17am and 1:36pm comments) he was gloating over the (ridiculously stupid as well as evil) idea that the Ukrainians might lynch Zelenskyy, after whining for months over Yanukovych not finishing the term he was elected to. I ask again: Why would it be OK to end Zelenskyy's term early by murdering him, but it was not OK to end Yanukovych's term (and Nixon's second term) early by a combination of popular protests and Parliamentary pressure?; 3/20/24, 12:50 PM
wendybar said...: I'm sorry, but, this little girl, with the big giant mouth, is too stupid to be in Congress...and then I look around and see Hank Johnson and Sheila Jackson Lee, and say to myself...that is what a progressive is.

Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹
@saras76

Just when you think AOC couldn't be dumber than a box of Biden's, she said "RICO is not a crime."
::Fani enters chat::

She proceeds with a hissy fit tantrum, because Bobulinski gloriously embarrassed the crap out of her 🤣

https://twitter.com/i/status/1770507213209325677; 3/20/24, 2:52 PM