Althouse: Sunrise — 6:31, 6:37, 6:46, 6:51.

November 18, 2024

Sunrise — 6:31, 6:37, 6:46, 6:51.

55 comments:

Kay said...: One thing about growing up incredibly poor but adjusting to a middle class culture is that everyone ages faster if you’re poor and just the stage in life my life long friends are at compared to my newer friends kinds of freaks me out. It also has disillusioned me from this whole idea that income is about maturity and that as you get richer the more mature you’ll get and vice versa.; 11/18/24, 6:07 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Photo #4 is Ichabod Crane material! Outstanding composition.; 11/18/24, 6:25 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Gratitude is a path to maturity.; 11/18/24, 6:31 PM
Hassayamper said...: I've been thinking about how best to drop the hammer on the Justice Department and FBI, and apply a massive version of the "Prisoner's Dilemma" to get them to turn each other in to protect themselves.

I'm thinking Trump calls everyone in either organization at GS-10 or higher into a large auditorium. Announces that under the "Take Care" clause of the Constitution, he and his assistants will be reviewing the entire work product of anyone working for the department, not excluding ongoing investigations or top-secret national security cases.

He pardons everyone in the room of any previous Federal offenses related to conspiracy against the civil rights of any citizen, document destruction, perjury, and so on, on one condition: before they leave the room, they answer a questionnaire about their participation in or knowledge of any such schemes, under oath. By delivering a retrospective pardon, he eliminates their ability to refuse to testify under 5th Amendment protections. He warns that any falsification or material omission on their questionnaire is most definitely NOT pardoned, and will trigger immediate dismissal and prosecution.

Those refusing to answer the questionnaire are considered insubordinate, and before they leave the room they will be stripped of their badge and weapon and government mobile phone, their passwords changed, and their security clearance revoked. They are forbidden from setting foot in their offices or communicating with any co-worker, are escorted out to the sidewalk by US Marshals, and directed to remain at home during work hours, where they will collect their base salary until they can be dismissed for cause under the civil service protection acts.

Announce that qualified immunity will be waived for anyone found to have conspired to violate civil rights under color of law, but those who are particularly helpful and prompt to come forward and squeal on their fellow workers will have it restored at the discretion of Attorney General Gaetz. Those who stay silent but are found out will have their victims contacted by an organization set up by Musk to finance punitive lawsuits against the government malefactors. Even if they somehow dodge criminal prosecution, every effort will be made to strip them of all assets, with lawsuits filed in the jurisdictions where the victims live, not in D.C. or Manhattan.

Legal eagles, what am I missing here? Are there any glaring defects in this scenario?

Does anyone have any other good ideas to help inflict the greatest possible misery and punishment on these Chekist scum? I want their suffering to be so profound, such a touchstone of American history, that the memory of it hundreds of years from now will still make government employees fear to trample on our rights. Ten thousand of them losing their jobs, pensions, homes, childrens' college funds, and decades of their liberty would be a very good start. Remember Alinsky Rule 12: Individuals hurt faster than institutions. Let's make the individuals pay the price of their oppression, not the taxpayers.

I want the contempt and hatred and recrimination that the Trump Reckoning inflicts on the Federal government to dwarf the opening of the Stasi files in East Germany after reunification, and undermine any and all attempts to restore Big Nanny Government after Trump takes a meat axe to it.; 11/18/24, 6:51 PM
Clyde said...: Funniest story of the day:

Fired Democrats Blast DNC After Surprise Layoffs, Raising Questions About Harris Campaign Spending

“This scale of the layoffs is shocking people who have been here for a decade. People are blindsided by this…I’ve completely lost faith in the Democratic Party and I’m still working for them,” a current staffer told the outlet.

Just a little bit later than the rest of the country, as November 5th's results show! Career DNC people laid off, one day's notice, no severance. It's almost like Democrats are heartless, bad people.; 11/18/24, 7:22 PM
Big Mike said...: Over at Matt Taibbi’s substack I learned that there is an effort to derail Dr. Bhattacharya’s nomination using words like “fringe” and “contrarian” to describe his views regarding the medical community’s response to COVID-19. Those might be applicable terms when contrasted with what was then the consensus, but the best description of Dr. Bhattacharya’s views, based on what we’ve learned since 2020, is “scientifically correct.”; 11/18/24, 7:24 PM
Big Mike said...: Doesn’t show much respect for the people who do the actual work, does it?; 11/18/24, 7:25 PM
Mason G said...: "Doesn’t show much respect for the people who do the actual work, does it?"

Well- they *are* Democrats, so...; 11/18/24, 7:33 PM
Don B. said...: It will be hugely entertaining if Trump's intel and DOJ picks are set loose with hammer and tongs to uncover the perfidy of their predecessors.; 11/18/24, 7:35 PM
Clyde said...: Watching Monday Night Football, where the poor Cowboys are going to get shellacked, and the Houston Texans have some guy named To'o-To'o on defense. Brought to mind this song from the '80s. I'm not sure if this is the same woman I remember singing it back in the day, but it will do in 2024.

My Toot-Toot; 11/18/24, 7:39 PM
Clyde said...: And really, who the hell made this schedule? Dallas has a Monday night game this week, plays the Redskins next week (or Commanders, whatever) and then a Thanksgiving Day game. Three games in ten days? Seriously, WTF!; 11/18/24, 7:41 PM
Mason G said...: "Uncover"? A blind man could wander around and bump into more than enough to keep busy for years.; 11/18/24, 7:43 PM
Gospace said...: Being correct when everyone else is wrong - and insisting on it before the proof comes in - is not healthy for a career. In any field. People above you hate to be proven wrong. Dr. Bhattacharya is getting a rare chance to get even. As are a lot of other people Trump has appointed. I know of 51 intelligence officials I'd like to see bankrupted and in jail.; 11/18/24, 7:48 PM
Christopher B said...: Well, the Cowboys can thank The Simpsons tie-in for today's MNF game for not being flexed out of the slot.

And my Vikings played the Lions at home on Oct 20, at LA on Oct 24, and then the Colts at home on Nov 3 (at least they did those three coming off a bye week) With only one bye week in a 17 game schedule there isn't a lot of flexibility.; 11/18/24, 8:01 PM
Eva Marie said...: @Peachy: it’s too bad those long names caused a problem because they were hilarious. This blog plus all the comments kept me in good spirits throughout the election season.Thank you one and all.; 11/18/24, 8:04 PM
Eva Marie said...: It seems to be a good idea that Trump is releasing all his appointments now. Because every single one of them is being criticized. After a while you just discount all the objections.The criticisms look like they have less to do with any individual nominee and just general obstruction which plays right into the Trump narrative.; 11/18/24, 8:09 PM
Clyde said...: Actually, Christopher B, that article is about the December 9th MNF game that the Cowboys will be playing against the Bengals, which is likely to be a stinkeroo. And that Vikings stretch was over 11 days rather than 10, which is bad enough, but there's no reason to schedule Monday-Sunday-Thursday. That's just sadistic.; 11/18/24, 8:10 PM
Big Mike said...: @Mason G., having worked on many campaigns back in the day, the work feels that much harder when you sense that your candidate is not doing well. I know they probably hate me for being a Trump supporter since he won the nomination back in 2016, and I should return that hatred, but in the course of my career I have worked for heartless bosses so I have some sympathy for them, too.; 11/18/24, 8:11 PM
Mason G said...: "Because every single one of them is being criticized."

Posted by the "U.S. Senate Democrats" Facebook account, Feb. 11, 2021:

"The American people elected President Biden to get things done.
He deserves his team in place, and we are working to confirm his Cabinet without delay."; 11/18/24, 8:15 PM
Dixcus said...: Trump should announce Guantanamo arrests on Day One.; 11/18/24, 8:23 PM
Mason G said...: Big Mike, the "they" I referred to are the people in charge, not the workers.; 11/18/24, 8:25 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Red Skies (1982) - The Fixx; 11/18/24, 8:27 PM
robother said...: My brother pointed out to me that there are probably huge garbage trucks backing up to the Hoover Building around the clock to deal with all the shredder detritus and wiped computers and cell phones.; 11/18/24, 8:29 PM
robother said...: What you get for (once) being "America's Team."; 11/18/24, 8:31 PM
robother said...: What's that old WWII saying, "you know you're over the target when the flak intensifies."; 11/18/24, 8:32 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: The Sweater Song band, Weezer released a cover Tom Petty's Here Comes My Girl.; 11/18/24, 8:33 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Erick Erickson went to town on Gets and RFK Jr today.

Apparently Gets is a real major-league big-time A hole.

RFK Jr is not pro-life. Who the fuck cares? Roe is dead. wtf?; 11/18/24, 8:38 PM
Clyde said...: Weezer's 2019 Teal Album had a great collection of cover songs.; 11/18/24, 8:41 PM
robother said...: Shuntaro Tanikawa died today. In memory:

"When I am sad I can't write a sad poem.
All I can do is endure my tears.
When I'm happy I don't write a happy poem.
I amuse myself doing other things.

When I write a poem my heart is as calm
as a mountain lake far away from human habitation.
With its feelings of joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure laid sunken on its bed,
it is quietly spreading its ripples.

Believing in 'the true and the good' lurking in 'the beautiful',
I place words hesitantly.
If you are kind enough to read them,
your heart will change the host of typed words into 'poetry'."; 11/18/24, 8:46 PM
cb said...: @ robother: Why did Biden’s DOD order an industrial shredder the day Trump won the election? https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4278959/posts; 11/18/24, 8:54 PM
Original Mike said...: "COWBOYS NOW BOMBING EVEN BEFORE GAMES BEGIN! Metal fragment falls from AT&T Stadium roof after opening before Texans-Cowboys game."; 11/18/24, 8:55 PM
Clyde said...: "The guilty fleeth when no man pursueth." Especially when they know pursuit is just ten weeks away.; 11/18/24, 9:01 PM
Caroline said...: Each of the sunrise shots is more glorious than the next. God’s re-creation of the first day, as the song goes.; 11/18/24, 9:38 PM
Peachy said...: Ah - thanks. I miss my long names, too.; 11/18/24, 9:48 PM
TickTock said...: Praise with elation
Praise every morning
God's re-creation
Of the new day; 11/18/24, 9:56 PM
Peachy said...: The water in the top 2 photos is very nice.; 11/18/24, 10:05 PM
WK said...: Haven’t seen much news about Kamala lately. She still around?; 11/18/24, 10:18 PM
Ampersand said...: Kamala isn't around because she was never anything more than a blurry cloud of leftist wish fulfillment. The cloud has blown away. The next cloud will be more cleverly designed.; 11/19/24, 12:21 AM
Jerry said...: Ampersand: Not sure who'll be designing it. Pelosi's done, Obama's maybe pulling the strings in the background but this last election cut a lot of them. Clintons? He likely doesn't GAF, and her Highness lost all her influence when she lost to Trump. The upper echelons of the DNC are remarkably lacking in folks who 'normal' people would find appealing. Newsom out in CA may be tried, but it's really hard to look at California and see a success story waiting to be emulated to the rest of the country. Whitmer's got a good bit of 'favorable' press, but her record's such I don't think she could win her state.

I dunno. I look at what they've got and think that anyone who was actually talented enough to want to run in '28 will likely skip that one and wait until '32 to let the Biden stink dissipate and let people forget Harris...; 11/19/24, 12:41 AM
rehajm said...: None of the dreams are going anywhere…; 11/19/24, 4:50 AM
Mr. Forward said...: Liz Cheney is available.; 11/19/24, 5:02 AM
MadTownGuy said...: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Orders Counties Not to Count Undated Ballots

"The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered counties within the state not to count undated mail-in ballots after multiple counties said they would.

The order came on Nov. 18 as the commonwealth began a recount process in the race for U.S. Senate. Both Decision Desk HQ and The Associated Press called the race for Republican Dave McCormick, who ran against long-term incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). However, because McCormick’s lead fell within a 0.5 percent margin, state law required a recount.

The decision directed all 67 counties within the state to comply “with the prior rulings of this Court in which we have clarified that mail-in and absentee ballots that fail to comply with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Election Code ... shall not be counted for purposes of the election held on November 5, 2024.”; 11/19/24, 5:43 AM
MadTownGuy said...: HIV cases on the rise in Alberta

"HIV cases in Alberta are rising at a shocking rate, according to a new Alberta Health report. The report shows a 73 per cent increase in HIV cases in 2023 compared to 2022.

The annual Alberta Health report reveals the number of new HIV cases rising from 293 in 2022 to 507 in 2023.

“The number of new to us patients continue to rise and it’s really well above the historic numbers for the last 20 years. We have three components: new local infections, migrants across Canada, and migrants from other countries,” said Dr. John Gill, medical director of the Southern Alberta HIV Clinic.

“Migrants from other countries do at times find it difficult to connect, maybe to improve the connectivity after someone lands to be aware of the Northern Alberta HIV program. This is where you go; this is how care is delivered,” said Gill.

According to the report, 54.8 percent of cases in 2023 were acquired outside the country, compared to 43 percent in 2022.

“It could be immigrant. It could also be people who travelled outside the country and have returned and tested positive for HIV,” said Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, manager of community relations at SafeLink Alberta.

According to the report, the second most common category of exposure in 2023, accounting for 18.5 percent of new cases, was transmission between heterosexual partners.

“Heterosexual transmission is not necessarily consensual transmission. And yes, we certainly have a large number of heterosexuals now, usually from immigrant countries. There are different needs,” said Gill."

More at the link.; 11/19/24, 6:01 AM
MadTownGuy said...: Much as I hate to hog the blog, I found this too good to pass up. Having worked in a Union shop (both as a member and as a manager), I can relate:
On X: Tim Young @TimRunsHisMouth

"I have a personal story about how wasteful your federal govermnent is:

Years ago, I was a graduate intern at the Social Security Administration...

My senior manager called me to her office one day and told me that other employees had complained about me because I was, "working too fast."

The solution? If I completed a project quickly, I was allowed to 'do whatever I wanted as long as I showed up for scheduled meetings.'

The on-campus SSA snack stores also sold novels, because they literally know that people aren't working at their desks.

That's how your federal government works.

@VivekGRamaswamy and @elonmusk could easily clean out 80% of the bureaucrats in the Maryland/DC/Virginia area and the government would still run efficiently.

The current management and employees at federal agencies all know this... and they're freaking out for a reason.

DOGE will save taxpayers BILLIONS."; 11/19/24, 6:09 AM
Heartless Aztec said...: Fantastic Sunset pics...; 11/19/24, 6:10 AM
Big Mike said...: @Mr. Forward, I read that with a mouthful of hot coffee. Near disaster.; 11/19/24, 6:11 AM
Narayanan said...: does this mean inspect the envelopes and lay aside defective envelopes
or can we peek inside and then oops where did I put the contents?; 11/19/24, 6:57 AM
Narayanan said...: large auditorium or mini-camps = if questionnaire cannot be answered in full in one working days? with full littany of activities!!; 11/19/24, 7:08 AM
boatbuilder said...: Gaetz being a real major league big-time A hole is sort of the point.

Perhaps you have heard of this "Trump" fellow?; 11/19/24, 7:12 AM
Jaq said...: Well, Zelensky has lit the match on Biden's Viking funeral. Oh, we will all be guests of honor, contributing to the blaze, the whole world will be there!

Either Putin is going to slink into a corner and watch NATO continue its escalation until he is meekly driven from office by Russians who are baying for blood, think 9-11 or Pearl Harbor, or he is going to respond in some serious way that is calculated to make NATO think twice next time.

This is the first time that a nuclear superpower, the United States, has directly attacked another nuclear superpower. It's a bold strategy!

It looks like it took 6 missiles to take out an ammo dump, and five of them were shot down, but one seems to have hit, creating a significant explosion.; 11/19/24, 7:29 AM
rastajenk said...: Chiaroscuro; 11/19/24, 7:40 AM
Iman said...: Great tune, Clyde! Boring game.; 11/19/24, 8:39 AM
Rusty said...: January can't come soon enough. These guys, the Biden junta, want us desperately in a war. Either to discredit Trump or for the graft. Or both.; 11/19/24, 8:39 AM
Iman said...: Where have you gone, sad Liz Cheney-oh?
The Dems have trained their angry guns on you
Boo hoo hoo; 11/19/24, 8:46 AM
Bailey Yankee said...: I love that blue one (jewel tones), and then the shift to red. Awesome photos.; 11/19/24, 2:24 PM