Althouse: Sunrise

November 25, 2024

Sunrise — 6:56.

44 comments:

Dixcus said...: Someone should remind Tom Homan that even threatening to violate a federal law is a crime. A public official who, for example, says they will used armed resistance against federal border control officers in their community has committed a crime already.

They don't have to actually do it. Merely threatening to do so is a crime and they can be arrested immediately. We don't to wait for them to open fire.

One hopes that Homan will have some balls behind his threats to jail these people.; 11/25/24, 5:19 PM
NT Dave said...: In a stunning series of events, two leading media organizations—The New York Times and Bloomberg—abruptly shelved coverage of a groundbreaking study that raises serious concerns about the psychological impacts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) pedagogy.; 11/25/24, 5:20 PM
Achilles said...: What stage of grief are we on?; 11/25/24, 5:55 PM
Jaq said...: Who would have thunk that the onset of WW3 would be a slow motion train wreck. One of the Ukrainian divers, one who is blamed by the Germans for blowing up Nordstream, gave an interview and said that he was trained by the CIA in 2019, during the Trump administration, BTW. Blowing up Nordstream was key, because it was like burning Germany's boats, well, the boats of all of Europe, and that was the point, make sure that Europe had no way but forward. That their industry would die if they don't win.

Now the US could walk away from Ukraine, sunk costs, hey we tried, we got some goodies like Sweden and Finland surrendered their sovereignty to us, because we can now put whatever military equipment we want in their country without even telling them, etc, etc... But Europe? They are screwed if they don't find a way to depose Putin, break up Russia, and find a way to realize the European dream since forever, which is to turn Russia into a bunch of little satrapies controlled by the West, who will sell Europe their resources at looter's prices. This will also completely isolate China and so the US will have complete world dominance. Whoever sits in the Oval Office will be basically the Emperor of the World. If you think that election security is problematic now, imagine if control of the entire globe was at stake in US elections. It is not about Ukraine. If Ukraine was not next door to Russia, nobody would give a rat's patootie about that corrupt sh*t h*le.

So Putin launched the hypersonic missile, which could take out a carrier group, no problem, BTW, China has tested similar non nuclear, yet still strategic missile, and still the Ukrainians have launched three more attacks with US weapons, and involving US personnel, on Russian territory. Obviously the purpose is to provoke Russia to respond in a way that it can be painted as righteous justification on the part of the US to get involved in a hot war with Russia.

They are making preparations for war all across Europe right now. The UK and France are talking about sending troops. Why? Because the boats are burned, and they can't afford to lose this war, or they face decades of the same kind of poverty that Europe experienced post WWI.

Russia, of course, knows that the purpose of this war is to crush its sovereignty and loot its estimated $72 trillion in resources, so neither side can back down, and there are thousands of nukes on both side.

We have a senile old man making the calls until Jan 20th. Slow. Motion. Trainwreck.; 11/25/24, 5:57 PM
Jaq said...: Oh, btw, a French senior officer wrote an email a while back that got leaked where he said that his French soldiers would fold before the Russians "like majorettes." Doesn't matter, they are not there to fight Russians, they are there as a tripwire, to get annihilated and start the real WW3. No more of this fan dance WW3, we need to get the real thing going. It's like when Britain, prior to WWI asked France how many troops did they need to hold off Germany, France said, "only one, and we will see to it that he is killed."

That's how it works, the media, in those days the newspapers, do the rest.; 11/25/24, 6:03 PM
Mason G said...: "They don't have to actually do it. Merely threatening to do so is a crime and they can be arrested immediately."

Does this include encouraging others to commit a crime?

Asking for a friend.; 11/25/24, 6:10 PM
Hassayamper said...: Whoever sits in the Oval Office will be basically the Emperor of the World. If you think that election security is problematic now, imagine if control of the entire globe was at stake in US elections.

It's pretty much that way already. 10% of our fellow citizens would slit their own grandmother's throat for a hundred-dollar bill. Imagine what dishonest people would do to wet their beaks in just a trickle of the 7 trillion dollar Federal budget.; 11/25/24, 6:15 PM
Enigma said...: Given that Kamala's policy proposals went MAGA and that Biden put on a MAGA hat before the election, I think a lot of people are looking for a graceful exit from TDS. There's no feel of the January 2017 "pussy hat" brigade and random arson/threats against Trump. With a little prodding maybe half of "the resistance" will flip from being Biden sheep to Trump sheep. They will remain sheep, as they demand social acceptance as sheep.

It doesn't take much to cause a reality adjustment when an immigration ideology is fully detached from reality. (1) These blue cities can't pay the immigrant support costs without Biden/unlimited COVID free money, and (2) the immigrants are causing social issues/crime, and (3) lots of well-off red and blue NIMBYs don't want them.; 11/25/24, 6:19 PM
Enigma said...: This concern dates back to 2016-2017 with Jonathan Haidt and Jordan Peterson. They warned about...a looming cultural collapse...and formed the now faded "Intellectual Dark Web." The old order resists change until it becomes untenable. Then they make fools of themselves as they fall. Wile E. Coyote eventually must look down.

https://www.theinternationalchronicles.com/2022/01/21/jordan-peterson-diversity-inclusion-equity-die-must-die/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/15/elon-musk-says-dei-must-die-and-criticizes-diversity-schemes-as-discrimination/; 11/25/24, 6:28 PM
Gilbert Pinfold said...: Just re-reading the Guns of August by Tuchman. Kind of eerie, with that deadman at the switch feel with the onrushing train.; 11/25/24, 6:34 PM
rhhardin said...: Barry Eisler, noted for really awful love scenes in noir action novels,

I started to slide down her panties but she broke the kiss. "No, she said, panting..."

I mention it because it's a Tom Swifty.; 11/25/24, 6:35 PM
Dixcus said...: Donald Trump said he will impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods over the Chinese government's refusal to make good on a promise to use the death penalty on drug dealers selling fentynal through Mexico into the United States.

So there you have it, folks. So long as you kick back 10% of the profits to the federal government, you can sell Fentanyl on American streets and murder Americans with it.

Donald Trump needs to sack up.; 11/25/24, 6:35 PM
rhhardin said...: 10% of gross, not 10% of profits.; 11/25/24, 6:41 PM
Dixcus said...: The media is already whipsawing Trump again. Here's how they do it:

1) Claim "insiders" say Trump will implement some draconian policy related to one of the left's objectives. Leak it all behind anonymous sources. In a UK newspaper.

2) Force Trump to come out and say he's not going to do that draconian thing. No decisions have been made.

Trump can then not do that draconian thing, or he verifies the original report.

Whipsaw.

NY Post today:

"President-elect Donald Trump hasn’t decided whether to boot transgender service members from the military, his team said Monday — denying a UK report that claimed he plans to do so as soon as he returns to the White House."; 11/25/24, 6:50 PM
Mason G said...: Oh good grief. The election was just two weeks ago (and I think some places are still counting votes), Trump doesn't take office for another two months and you're already whining about what he's doing (or not doing). Lighten up, Francis.; 11/25/24, 6:57 PM
narciso said...: Trump tells you exactly what hes doing; 11/25/24, 7:03 PM
polpnw said...: very nice photo!; 11/25/24, 7:04 PM
Lilly, a dog said...: The Critical Drinker posted his crowd-funded short film on YouTube tonight. It's better than I expected, although one of the actresses is terrible. It has a lot of action, and those parts are well done.; 11/25/24, 7:04 PM
Dr Weevil said...: Mason G:
I know it seems like only two weeks, but tomorrow will make three weeks since the election.; 11/25/24, 7:07 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: The Amish came to Western NC and built 100+ tiny homes to shelter Helene victims from the cold mountain weather.

Local and state authorities kicked the victims out of their houses, saying they didn't pass code.

https://x.com/NationalFile/status/1860459115962565090; 11/25/24, 7:07 PM
Jamie said...: I think a lot of people are looking for a graceful exit from TDS. There's no feel of the January 2017 "pussy hat" brigade and random arson/threats against Trump.

I dunno, man. No one in my family wanted to "blow Trump up" or "shoot Trump" in 2017, and no one forwent Thanksgiving (when we're flying five people cross country to visit) on account of Trump's first election. But that's what's happening now, in my world.; 11/25/24, 7:12 PM
Original Mike said...: And California is still counting ballots.; 11/25/24, 7:15 PM
NT Dave said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/25/24, 7:18 PM
NT Dave said...: Some of these leaks are probably intentional misinformation to ferret out leakers.; 11/25/24, 7:21 PM
Original Mike said...: Thus affirming for the Amish their votes for Trump.; 11/25/24, 7:32 PM
Gospace said...: I've seen this as a photomeme: They knew: why didn’t the unvaccinated do more to warn us? Yeah, why didn't we?

Oh, wait, we did. Don't know who first made the meme, but, turns out there's a website with an article that's titled just that:
https://afru.com/unvaccinated-silence/
And you need to at least glance at the comments...

Looking at the main site- I have to assume the site is satire of some kind. Some sample article headlines:
Dear racists: you eat birds, too
Toke for two: honoring my favorite dead sex clients
Dear white women: white babies are white supremacy
If Trump wins, I will have no choice but to take my own life

So I did a google search- is afru.com a satire site. And got- no definitive answer. At the babylon Bee you get a disclaimer- oft ignored by MSM who fact check their articles: Fake news you can trust, delivered straight to your inbox!. Similar disclaimers a at few other known satire websites. Look around enough at afru and you find:
About AFRU
We believe in the power of art to spark meaningful conversations on justice — as well as the other way around.
Shalawam! 👋 AFRU is a Black-led and Black-owned startup that combines art and fashion with lifestyle commentary to create a strong social justice brand that is relevant to folks from all walks of life.
No mention of fake or satire anywhere to be found. At least, not easily.

There's weird stuff out there on the internet.; 11/25/24, 7:35 PM
Dixcus said...: Mason believes the war doesn't start until January 20, 2025.

I have news for you son ... war is upon you, whether you would wish it or not.; 11/25/24, 7:41 PM
Dixcus said...: FEMA don't want competitors.; 11/25/24, 7:42 PM
FullMoon said...: test; 11/25/24, 7:44 PM
Mason G said...: "And you need to at least glance at the comments...

In case you didn't go to look, here's one you can glance at, right here:

"We tried to warn you. You mocked us with tin foil hat pictures of alex jones and pictures of us doing ‘our own research’ on the toilet and when that didnt get us to shut up you got us de-platformed, sacked, police visits to our home and computer equipment confiscated and targeted as dangerous spreaders of misinformation and classified domestic terrorists. AND IT WAS YOU WHO WAS SILENT as a 2-tier society enveloped and you gloated that YOU could go to Greece."; 11/25/24, 7:55 PM
Dr Weevil said...: Another open thread, another pile of Putinist lies from 'Jaq'. Where might we find this supposed interview with someone claiming to be a Ukrainian diver who says he blew up Nord Stream? No link, no source named, no date, no location of interview, diver not named, no hint whatsoever as to (a) where we might find this information, and (b) how we could judge its veracity. I imagine someone who had actually done such a thing could easily get $50,000 or more for an exclusive on his story, which would be awfully tempting to anyone who could do a convincing impersonation of a Ukrainian diver and thought he could get away with the cash before his lies were revealed. Not to mention that if Ukraine did it, I'm pretty sure they would have sworn everyone involved to secrecy, and felt perfectly free to kill anyone who blabbed.

In short, it's not just Jaq's failure to provide any link that makes this story incredible, it's the nature of the story itself.

The fact that he lies again about American troops being on Ukrainian soil, because he refuses to admit that Ukrainians are perfectly capable of aiming and firing American weapons themselves, is of course also damning. They've been firing ATACMs at Russian troops in the occupied portions of Ukraine for months, and firing them across the border is technically exactly the same. But 'Jaq' just can't stop lying.; 11/25/24, 8:37 PM
Big Mike said...: @Jaq, any chance he meant "like marionettes (e.g., with their strings cut)"?; 11/25/24, 8:43 PM
Original Mike said...: "Russia, of course, knows that the purpose of this war is to crush its sovereignty and loot its estimated $72 trillion in resources,"

I seem to remember Russia invading Ukraine. But what do I know?; 11/25/24, 8:47 PM
Dave Begley said...: Saw “Wicked.” 10. Work of pure genius. Better than my, “Frankenstein, Part II.”; 11/25/24, 10:39 PM
Jaq said...: Just google "Roman Chervinsky nordstream cia" The primary source is an interview in German in Der Spiegel. I am sure you can take bits and pieces of the story, which is your usual MO, and then claim that they don't add up to anything.

and if you are going to deny that their was any shadowy CIA involvement in training saboteurs in Ukraine, you can read the New York Times all about the program:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/25/world/europe/cia-ukraine-intelligence-russia-war.html

In fact the article explains how we trained Ukrainian assassins in exfiltrating to Russia and carrying out assassinations there.

Dr Weevil, you are very poorly informed on this conflict, because you limit your sources to Kiev propaganda outlets.; 11/26/24, 4:24 AM
Jaq said...: The way I have judged sources in this war is to note what they say, and then in a month or two, note whether it could have possibly been true. For instance, here's one: What happened to those Russian soldiers who were trapped by Ukrainian forces in Kursk region, you were telling me about?

Propaganda is to a democracy what the truncheon is to a totalitarian state. This is not our war. The Ukrainians are just being used as sacrificial pawns, and the best thing we could have done for them was to support the many peace deals that Putin had offered, all of which were far better than what Ukraine will likely ever see. The endless wars have to stop.

The only way Ukraine is going to win is if the US wins some kind of nuclear standoff, which is what we seem to be aiming for right now.; 11/26/24, 4:57 AM
Leland said...: It is a good musical. I caught it when a Broadway touring group came to Houston. My wife first saw it during its original run in West End.; 11/26/24, 5:56 AM
Dr Weevil said...: And here's 'Jaq' posting at 5:24am and 5:57am again Vermont time. I've asked him before whether he suffers from insomnia, or works the night-shift, or is traveling away from home. An honest man would answer the question to allay suspicions that he's really Timofei in Voronezh.

I web-searched Roman Chervinsky and find that (e.g.) Newsweek says he has refused interviews and denies the charges, so Jaq's sly implication that he'd admitted to blowing up the pipeline ("gave an interview and said that he was trained by the CIA in 2019" implies that without quite saying it) is another damned lie from Jaq. It seems likely that the anonymous sources accusing him are in fact Russian sources.

Another reason to doubt the story: people familiar with the Baltic Sea said at the time that it would be impossible for a diver operating from a sailboat to blow up Nordstream. The pipelines (two of them) were too deep, the winds too strong, the waves too high, and anyone who even tried to do that would have drowned. When you think about it, that's a very plausible argument.

Of course, I do not limit myself to "Kiev propaganda outlets" or read them at all. And I know how to spell Kyiv, unlike Putin-cock-sucking moron 'Jaq', who has previously quoted Kim Dotcom and ZeroHedge (owned by a Bulgarian friend of Putin) as sources!

Since Biden refuses to supply the arms that would have won the won the war a year or two ago, the most likely way Ukraine is to win now is with the total collapse of Russia, which is getting closer every day. The stock market is crashing, the ruble-dollar exchange rate is in free-fall, foreign-exchange reserves are running low, mortgage rates are up to 30%, the price of potatoes is up 70% in less than a year - Russia is now importing potatoes! - airliners and railroad cars are being parked by the hundreds for lack of parts, soldiers are going into battle on golf carts and mopeds and are openly saying on social media that the average lifespan of a new recruit from the day he signs the papers to the day he dies at the front is a couple of weeks. This can't go on much longer.; 11/26/24, 11:57 AM
Rusty said...: Never assign to sabotage what can be equally assigned to Russian incompetence.; 11/26/24, 12:38 PM
Rusty said...: Why it's almost like Dixcus doesn't want to see Trump succeed.; 11/26/24, 12:41 PM
Rusty said...: Why it's almost like Dixcus doesn't want to see Trump succeed.; 11/26/24, 12:41 PM
Jaq said...: You know, Rusty, that traces of explosives were found. Germany has said this. Also, an independent engineer hired a high-res sonar and explored the sites, and it turned out that the saboteurs accidentally tried to blow up the same pipe twice, the second time, there being no NG in the line under pressure, only produced a minor explosion. The fourth line is intact to this day. Anyway, he was able to see how it was done, and it turns out that a smallish explosive, placed on a weld, was what was used. So it could have been done by an amateur, especially if it was not 100% requirement that the divers returned alive and unhurt. This was a combat mission, after all.

But your dedication to the propaganda is touching.; 11/26/24, 4:22 PM
Jaq said...: Watch them ban that book, because it's too revealing about how these wars start, a slow motion train wreck until, kaboom!; 11/26/24, 4:23 PM
Jaq said...: I saw it in London too, it was fine. The singing was great, didn't care for the story though. Had a late supper at The Ivy, which was interesting just for people watching.; 11/26/24, 4:25 PM