Althouse: Bluestem.

September 3, 2025

Bluestem.

108 comments:

Aggie said...: My favorite prairie grass. I didn't know that little bluestem makes it all the way up to Minnesota. Very good forage for cattle, if you have the acreage.; 9/3/25, 2:19 PM
lonejustice said...: The Herbert Hoover National Historic Site just west of Iowa City has an 81-acre reconstructed tallgrass prairie with quite a bit of bluestem. There are hiking trails throughout the prairie so you can see all the different types of grasses up close.; 9/3/25, 2:31 PM
lonejustice said...: I meant east of Iowa City.; 9/3/25, 2:32 PM
Original Mike said...: Aggie, you've been reading her blog for a long time.
You think Althouse lives in Minnesota?; 9/3/25, 2:35 PM
Enigma said...: When people ask "Where can I see what the prairie looked like before the European settlers arrived?" they get told to look at the uncultivated areas next to the Interstate highways.

One of the things I learned upon arrival in Illinois...; 9/3/25, 2:40 PM
Peachy said...: In CO - Colorado Democrats have attempted to coerce/FORCE private attorneys into singing an anti-ICE cooperation document.

(All while Liar Gov. Polis(D) (fraud/liar) insisted CO is not a sanctuary state.

From the Denver Gazette:

"On Friday, attorneys trying to access Colorado’s court filing system were ambushed — by the state’s sanctuary policies for illegal immigrants.

Without warning, a popup “Disclaimer User Agreement” demanded lawyers pledge “under penalty of perjury” not to help ICE access personal identifying information from the system, unless required by law or court order.

It offered two choices: accept or decline. But declining locked them out of the only way to file with state courts. The prompt kept reappearing. Attorneys against a deadline had no choice — accept the pledge or fail their clients."

cont..; 9/3/25, 3:31 PM
Peachy said...: "“I had a filing and literally couldn’t do it until I accepted,” said attorney Suzanne Taheri, who previously served as Colorado’s deputy secretary of state from 2012 through 2018. “I tried to decline, and it sent me back to the login.”

The sudden mandate sparked an uproar — for good reason. Most court records are considered public records, yet the state was telling officers of the court they can’t use public records to cooperate with the federal government.

After I posted a screenshot of the disclaimer online, my tweet went viral. Meanwhile, district attorneys like George Brauchler and Michael Allen pushed back behind the scenes.

By late Saturday, the disclaimer apparently had vanished — but Pandora’s box was open. How could the state prove perjury? Could they search lawyers’ search histories or even privileged files? Nobody knew."

Behind a paywall - why I cut and paste.
Thought you all might find this interesting.

https://denvergazette.com/opinion/columns/lawyers-bullied-to-enforce-colorado-s-sanctuary-jimmy-sengenberger/article_ccee5886-c451-5d7c-950c-ce5be31b1662.html; 9/3/25, 3:32 PM
Peachy said...: singing = signing; 9/3/25, 3:32 PM
rehajm said...: Attorneys don’t usually allow themselves to be pushed around that way…except when the attorneys are lefties and it serves lefties interests. Bar associations who allow this sort of thing fuck dog…; 9/3/25, 3:46 PM
john mosby said...: Peachy: Polis wants them singing out of the same hymnal, so you could have left the typo! RR, JSM; 9/3/25, 4:07 PM
William50 said...: Headline at PJ media; Epstein Victims Aim To Release Their Own List.
Epstein victim Lisa Phillips said “We know the names. Many of us were abused by them. Now together, as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know were regularly in the Epstein world. And it will be done by survivors and for survivors. No one else is involved.”

I hate to say this but she might have just signed her own death warrant. I hope not.; 9/3/25, 4:08 PM
Jamie said...: I just returned from a month-long road trip during which we visited the PNW, the Rockies, and the Great Plains - I was thrilled to see the beauty of the grasslands. A sleeper hot!

lonejustice, I wish I'd known about the tallgrass area at Hoover's birthplace when I was a kid in Iowa City! (If it was there, I mean.) My mom still has a dinner triangle that she bought at the Hoover site, which included a forge. It was a fun summer field trip.; 9/3/25, 4:08 PM
Achilles said...: rehajm said...
Attorneys don’t usually allow themselves to be pushed around that way…except when the attorneys are lefties and it serves lefties interests. Bar associations who allow this sort of thing fuck dog

But what about when attorneys sue the state at the behest of the state and the state settles with the attorneys for everything they both want because they are all democrats so they can bypass legislatures like they did with election laws?; 9/3/25, 4:15 PM
FullMoon said...: "William50 said...
Headline at PJ media; Epstein Victims Aim To Release Their Own List.
Epstein victim Lisa Phillips said “We know the names. Many of us were abused by them. Now together, as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know were regularly in the Epstein world. And it will be done by survivors and for survivors. No one else is involved.”

Hope that is true but kinda expect left wing lawyers and power brokers will become involved to spin, edit, and prepare.; 9/3/25, 4:16 PM
Jamie said...: Sleeper HIT, that is!; 9/3/25, 4:19 PM
Inga said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/3/25, 4:28 PM
Inga said...: Marjory Taylor Greene said today, “If they want to give me a list, I will walk in that Capitol on the House floor, and I'll say every damn name that abused these women".; 9/3/25, 4:33 PM
Inga said...: “According to former Jeffrey Epstein victim Chauntae Davies, Epstein's "biggest brag forever was that he was very good friends with Donald Trump". Davies recently repeated this claim at a press conference on Capitol Hill where survivors called on Congress to release all government files related to the case.”

There might be some powerful men who are sweating bullets after hearing about the Epstein victims making a list of the powerful men Epstein farmed them out to. I sure hope these women have protection.; 9/3/25, 4:35 PM
lonejustice said...: There are over 1,000 child victims of Epstein's sexual abuse empire. There are over 34,000 pages detailing Epstein's sexual child predator behavior. Yet today Trump said that all of this was "irrelevant."; 9/3/25, 4:43 PM
Inga said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/3/25, 4:49 PM
Inga said...: “While hosting Polish President Karol Nawrocki in the Oval Office on September 3, 2025, former President Donald Trump described the Epstein scandal as "a Democrat hoax that never ends". He was responding to questions about a bipartisan effort in Congress to compel the release of additional files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.”

Trump said that people should be talking about him and his success as president instead of the Epstein scandal. This was after the victims had a press conference begging him to help get ALL the Epstein files released.; 9/3/25, 4:52 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: "This was after the victims had a press conference begging him to help get ALL the Epstein files released.

This was after the victims had a press conference and refused to name the people who raped them. They refuse to say who paid them settlements. They refused to say who raped them. But somehow, they're demanding justice.

Despite repeatedly being asked to do so.

The rapists, meanwhile, are out there. Still free. Still raping for all we know.

The girls know who they are.

And they're not telling anybody.

They're protecting them in exchange for money.

Like whores would.; 9/3/25, 5:03 PM
Jim at said...: It appears Russia! Russia! Russia! has been replaced by Epstein! Epstein! Epstein!

I predict the end result will be the same.; 9/3/25, 5:04 PM
Inga said...: The onus is on the government to release the files with the names of the abusers, not the victims who stated today that they had been threatened with all sorts of things, even death by Epstein if they told anyone who the powerful men who abused them were.; 9/3/25, 5:08 PM
Mason G said...: "I predict the end result will be the same."

"Walls closing in", I presume?; 9/3/25, 5:10 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: "The onus is on the government to release the files with the names."

No it's not. If you claim somebody raped you, the onus is on YOU sweetheart. Period. That's all. If somebody is threatening you, please name that person and we'll happily investigate your claim and if it's true, we'll arrest that person.

That's how our society works.

These girls are claiming they were raped. OK. Who raped you?

"Oh, we're not saying."

Fuck off then.

Fuck all the way off.; 9/3/25, 5:18 PM
FullMoon said...: I"nga said...
The onus is on the government to release the files with the names of the abusers, not the victims who stated today that they had been threatened with all sorts of things, even death by Epstein if they told anyone who the powerful men who abused them were."

Now you claim Epstien killed some of them, hilarious, but not surprising; 9/3/25, 5:23 PM
Inga said...: “…we'll happily investigate your claim and if it's true, we'll arrest that person.”

What sort of fool are you?; 9/3/25, 5:24 PM
FullMoon said...: "lonejustice said...
There are over 1,000 child victims of Epstein's sexual abuse empire."

Name five.; 9/3/25, 5:25 PM
Inga said...: “Now you claim Epstien killed some of them, hilarious, but not surprising”

Huh?; 9/3/25, 5:25 PM
Mom said...: That's a gorgeous photograph.; 9/3/25, 5:26 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: "What sort of fool are you?"

I've engaged you respectfully, Inga, on your weak ass claims and presented a counter-argument that everyone can easily understand.

Everybody understands why in the United States we don't allow people to make rape claims and then REFUSE to say who raped them. That's fucking bullshit. And we're not going to play your little girl game in this country.

I am nobody's fool. Least of all yours.

If you have an argument, present it. I will then tear it apart because I am more intelligent than you are.

Otherwise, fuck off.; 9/3/25, 5:28 PM
FullMoon said...: "Inga said...
“According to former Jeffrey Epstein victim Chauntae Davies,"

Forbes YouTubes Sep 3, 2025
At a press briefing on Wednesday, (46 year old former actress)Epstein survivor Chauntae Davies revealed she was taken on a trip to Africa with former President Bill Clinton.; 9/3/25, 5:31 PM
Inga said...: “Everybody understands why in the United States we don't allow people to make rape claims and then REFUSE to say who raped them. That's fucking bullshit. And we're not going to play your little girl game in this country.”

Not only are you a fool, you’re just plain stupid. The government already KNOWS who these men are and has protected their identity and neglected to prosecute them. Your’re on ignore because you are nothing more than some moby trying to get attention here on these Althouse comments threads.; 9/3/25, 5:34 PM
Inga said...: The powerful men involved have escaped justice for years, that includes Clinton and anyone else who may have been Epstein’s clients. That time may be close to being over.; 9/3/25, 5:37 PM
FullMoon said...: "The government already KNOWS who these men are and has protected their identity.."

Prove it. Name 3 govt people who know; 9/3/25, 5:38 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: "The government already KNOWS who these men are ..."

So do the whores. And they're hiding the names.

For money.

Like a whore would.

The girls took settlements. They promised to keep quiet for money so that the rapists could go on raping other young girls. But they got theirs, so it's all good. And now they want our sympathy.

Fuck them, I say.

These girls are WHORES.

They took money to fuck these men, knowing exactly what they were doing. Were they under 18? Yes. And that's a crime.

It's illegal what the men did. And for that, I strongly support their arrests. It's too easy to convince very young whores to take money for fucking, before they understand all the consequences that come from being a whore, so these are all laws that have good intentions. We don't want to encourage this sort of whoredom in our country.

These little whores know exactly who raped them and they're STILL keeping the names a secret so they can extract MORE MONEY. They're trying to one-up their whoredom.

If they're unwilling to say who raped them, and allow those rapists to go on raping, then I have lost all interest in their case.; 9/3/25, 5:41 PM
gadfly said...: FLC: It is important that everyone now knows that you favor pedophiles fucking children, The victims tell us that they're compiling their own list because the Trump government will not release the names already in hand. Further we know that that hundreds of government agents searched for and deleted any reference to Donald "The John" Trump from the records. Finally you too are joining the MAGA politicians who regularly lie to protect The Donald from real justice,

God, it is inconceivable that while serving his Miami sentence which allowed for his "work release" from jail, he regularly oversaw his pedophilic life style in his residence,; 9/3/25, 5:43 PM
Inga said...: The non-prosecution agreement (NPA) brokered by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta in 2008 shielded Jeffrey Epstein and his "potential co-conspirators" from federal charges. The agreement has been widely condemned as an unusually lenient deal that was sealed from the victims and halted an FBI investigation into a sex trafficking ring.
Key aspects of the agreement:
Immunity for co-conspirators: The deal explicitly stated that the U.S. Attorney's office would "not institute any criminal charges against any potential co-conspirators of Epstein".
Specific individuals named: The immunity covered not only unnamed individuals but also specifically named assistants to Epstein who were implicated in the sex trafficking scheme.
Halted federal investigation: The NPA effectively shut down an ongoing federal investigation that could have led to a lengthy prison sentence for Epstein.

Secret deal: The agreement was conducted in secret, and victims were never notified, a violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act.

Minimal state sentence: In exchange for federal immunity, Epstein pleaded guilty to lesser state prostitution charges and served only 13 months in a county jail with work-release privileges.; 9/3/25, 5:46 PM
FormerLawClerk said...: "The victims tell us that they're compiling their own list"

They ALREADY HAVE ONE.

They were all there. At the press conference. They were asked specifically to name their rapists. To "make a list" as it were, right there, live on TV.

Nope.

They wouldn't do it.

Who raped you? When did it occur? What did they do? How were they dressed? Who else saw this?

These are the kinds of questions they would be asked. Under oath. On cross-examination. To make sure they aren't LYING.

And turns out, girls lie a LOT about being raped. Especially whores.

But I believe these girls. I'm giving them the benefit of any and all doubt. All they have to do is NAME NAMES.

And they won't even do that. They have the list. They all know each other. They're all very rich friends now. They know who the rapists are.

And now they're trying to milk it. Hey, more power to them.

But save your pity.

These are whores.; 9/3/25, 6:00 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: RCOCEAN - Stewed to the gills since 2004.; 9/3/25, 6:09 PM
Mason G said...: The non-prosecution agreement (NPA) brokered by then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta in 2008 shielded Jeffrey Epstein and his "potential co-conspirators" from federal charges. The agreement has been widely condemned as an unusually lenient deal that was sealed from the victims and halted an FBI investigation into a sex trafficking ring.
Key aspects of the agreement:
Immunity for co-conspirators: The deal explicitly stated that the U.S. Attorney's office would "not institute any criminal charges against any potential co-conspirators of Epstein".
Specific individuals named: The immunity covered not only unnamed individuals but also specifically named assistants to Epstein who were implicated in the sex trafficking scheme.
Halted federal investigation: The NPA effectively shut down an ongoing federal investigation that could have led to a lengthy prison sentence for Epstein.

Secret deal: The agreement was conducted in secret, and victims were never notified, a violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act.

Minimal state sentence: In exchange for federal immunity, Epstein pleaded guilty to lesser state prostitution charges and served only 13 months in a county jail with work-release privileges.

Did you write the above italicized text yourself or is it copied from somewhere, without attribution?; 9/3/25, 6:21 PM
n.n said...: So, what's new in social liberal club? Do they still perform human rites to abort, sequester the 'burden" of evidence in sanctuary states? #NoJudgment #NoLabels, equivocal, and inclusive. #HateLovesAbortion; 9/3/25, 6:23 PM
FullMoon said...: I blame the parents.; 9/3/25, 6:23 PM
FullMoon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/3/25, 6:24 PM
Gospace said...: I see from the comments above that there was some sort of press conference. And I was assured by liberal posts on X for the last several days that DONALD TRUMP! was going down today. The abused were going to speak out- and DONALD TRUMP! was going to be named. He's going down! No doubt about! The walls have closed in and he's going to be crushed!

Oh. Never mind . (In Emily Litella's voice.) Once again it didn't happen.; 9/3/25, 6:32 PM
Inga said...: “Did you write the above italicized text yourself or is it copied from somewhere, without attribution?”

Gemini AI. Do a search for yourself if you question what I quoted from Gemini.; 9/3/25, 6:32 PM
Narr said...: This afternoon I noticed the first shoots of the surprise lillies coming up along the driveway. Just a few of them, but they had emerged and grown up to 8 - 10" since yesterday.

It has been so dry that I wasn't expecting much.

A few hours later the yardguys cut them all down, but there will be more tomorrow.; 9/3/25, 6:33 PM
Mason G said...: "Gemini AI. Do a search for yourself if you question what I quoted from Gemini."

How about just telling people where you're copying stuff from? That's what I do, when I copy something.; 9/3/25, 6:40 PM
TickTock1948 said...: Seems to me that the Epstein brouhaha is a Rorschach test onto which everyone can project their own fantasies as to what the truth must be, all based on very little information.; 9/3/25, 6:42 PM
Grundoon said...: Many people don't have the perspective to see this change in the world, but we are living through an absolutely huge gusher of solar-sourced electricity, and four-hour batteries to decouple the time solar electricity is produced and when the electricity is used.
"The grid" has never had a fuel-cost-free source like solar, and has never had a time shifter like batteries.
Both of these technologies are changing the strategy of how society generates and pays for electricity.
We no longer just burn stuff to meet the demand.; 9/3/25, 6:44 PM
Original Mike said...: Wasn't Gemini AI the one that rendered the founding fathers as black?; 9/3/25, 6:45 PM
Jim at said...: Do a search for yourself if you question what I quoted from Gemini.

It's not our responsibility to find your source. It's on you to provide it.

Good grief.; 9/3/25, 6:47 PM
Mason G said...: ""The grid" has never had a fuel-cost-free source like solar..."

Oil and gas are free- just get them out of the ground.; 9/3/25, 6:47 PM
Achilles said...: Grundoon said...

Many people don't have the perspective to see this change in the world, but we are living through an absolutely huge gusher of solar-sourced electricity, and four-hour batteries to decouple the time solar electricity is produced and when the electricity is used.
"The grid" has never had a fuel-cost-free source like solar, and has never had a time shifter like batteries.
Both of these technologies are changing the strategy of how society generates and pays for electricity.
We no longer just burn stuff to meet the demand.

wut?

Is this a bot posting random things?; 9/3/25, 6:47 PM
Achilles said...: TickTock1948 said...

Seems to me that the Epstein brouhaha is a Rorschach test onto which everyone can project their own fantasies as to what the truth must be, all based on very little information.

Of course. This describes everything discussed here.

But the first and most obvious conclusion any intelligent person could make is that if there was evidence Trump was in and way even seen in the same zip code as one of these girls the Biden administration would have charged him with 34 counts of rape.

34 is a magic number for these people.; 9/3/25, 6:50 PM
rhhardin said...: I'm not following it closely, but the victims are after the Epstein estate deep pockets, seems obvious.; 9/3/25, 6:52 PM
rhhardin said...: Sociologist Erving Goffman classed both criminals and children as desperadoes. Probably in Asylums. Forget innocence.; 9/3/25, 6:53 PM
Mason G said...: "Gemini AI. Do a search for yourself if you question what I quoted from Gemini."

AI gets stuff wrong, everybody knows this. Did you check Gemini's sources to see if it reported what it was copying accurately or just trust what it told you?

Rhetorical question.; 9/3/25, 6:55 PM
Inga said...: Grok AI…
“In 2008, Alexander Acosta, then U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, negotiated a controversial non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Jeffrey Epstein, who faced allegations of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. The deal allowed Epstein to plead guilty to two state charges of solicitation of prostitution (one involving a minor), serve 13 months in a county jail with work release privileges, and register as a sex offender, while avoiding federal prosecution. The agreement also granted immunity to four named co-conspirators and unnamed “potential co-conspirators,” effectively halting an FBI investigation into Epstein’s activities.”; 9/3/25, 6:56 PM
FullMoon said...: Waiting for Hillary to break her silence regarding bill and Epstein; 9/3/25, 6:57 PM
Mason G said...: "But the first and most obvious conclusion any intelligent person could make is that if there was evidence Trump was in and way even seen in the same zip code as one of these girls the Biden administration would have charged him with 34 counts of rape."

You could repeat this until the cows come home but the left won't ever give up the search for their pony.

If you shake hands with any of them, you might want to wash off as soon as you have a chance.; 9/3/25, 6:59 PM
Inga said...: Jeffrey Epstein Non Prosecution agreement

Take a look for yourself.; 9/3/25, 7:00 PM
rhhardin said...: The trouble with the innocence of children is that innocence isn't a motivation. It has no explanatory value, if you're trying to explain things. Goffman taking that into account. He's into explaining. Taking children seriously, you could say.; 9/3/25, 7:01 PM
Jaq said...: "But the first and most obvious conclusion any intelligent person could make is that if there was evidence Trump was in anyway even seen in the same zip code as one of these girls the Biden administration would have charged him with 34 counts of rape."

This is obviously true. It makes one wonder what is motivating the people who refuse to acknowledge it. Anything Trump controls, Joe Biden, who sent FBI agents to paw though the underwear drawer of Trump's wife, in the hope of putting him in prison, Joe Biden controls.

It's just so easy to make up lies for some people, and for other people, people I used to call "normies" but now I call honest, plain spoken, and morally centered people, it's hard for these people, because they are not practiced liars themselves, to pick through all of the lies.; 9/3/25, 7:02 PM
rhhardin said...: How old are the Epstein victims? I think old enough to have ordinary motivations, even if the law won't yet attribute them to them. If you're a sociologist, you want the motivations anyway.

There are bad decisions, and I suppose a sociologist could draw up a table of motivations and the bad decisions that commonly result; but that doesn't cut off at 18, just the legal consequences do.; 9/3/25, 7:04 PM
Achilles said...: FormerLawClerk said...

"The victims tell us that they're compiling their own list"

They ALREADY HAVE ONE.

They were all there. At the press conference. They were asked specifically to name their rapists. To "make a list" as it were, right there, live on TV.

Nope.

They wouldn't do it.

Who raped you? When did it occur? What did they do? How were they dressed? Who else saw this?

This is not behavior that inspires confidence.

There are 2 most likely reasons for not coming out now openly and reporting the crimes.

1. They don't trust the government.
2. They all already signed NDA's and got a bunch of money.

Not mutually exclusive.

Also pretty sure that laws protect them from having their names from being released which means all of their names will be redacted. Alleged pederasts are also protected because they haven't been charged.

The only way this situation resolves is for a critical mass of citizens to grow up. Not holding my breath.; 9/3/25, 7:07 PM
Jaq said...: If this is an open thread, which I guess it is, I am going to comment again on the final episode of Seinfeld. Why did it disappoint so many viewers? Myself, I thought it was great, but it did disappoint a lot of viewers. I think that in stories, we are used to seeing the characters grow emotionally over time, it's why we follow stories, most stories are about the protagonist coming to grips with some problem that the writer has created for them, and we naturally enjoy this process, but in Seinfeld, the characters never grew, which was the source of the comedy, but in the final episode, they were forced to confront their own self in the form of a trial, and after nine years, they did all of the growth in a single episode, growth nobody wanted, by this time. If they grew emotionally over time, it would be a drama. So they had a dramatic ending to a nine year comedy in a single episode.; 9/3/25, 7:10 PM
Achilles said...: rhhardin said...

The trouble with the innocence of children is that innocence isn't a motivation. It has no explanatory value, if you're trying to explain things. Goffman taking that into account. He's into explaining. Taking children seriously, you could say.

Girls and boys around the age of 15 or 16 start having thoughts that are biologically hardwired. Most of us keep having these thoughts until we die.

Applying the word innocence has to be done with a strong definition of the word innocence and a very particular view of societal outcomes desired.

18 is almost certainly the highest age of consent set by any large social contract. It is very ambitious but I would say that the societal goals are that men and women form strong pair bonds before having children and women are most capable of this starting around the age of 18.

The real problem with this is laws are only going to be so effective. The only real force that will protect this innocence are fathers. Something I am sure most of these women never had at the time.; 9/3/25, 7:20 PM
john mosby said...: I liked the SNL sketch that showed the Seinfeld cast in prison...in Oz! With Mr Seinfeld and many of the Oz cast. RR, JSM; 9/3/25, 7:21 PM
rhhardin said...: Girls and boys around the age of 15 or 16 start having thoughts that are biologically hardwired.

Taking the sociologist view, that's still not taking children seriously (or for that matter the psychiatrist view - Adolf Guggenbuhl-Craig for one). Then and sooner is when they're beginning to learn to take responsibility for what happens, at least partially. It's harmful to their therapy (says AGC) to tell them no it's none of their responsibility. Taking partial responsibility puts the world in their control, instead of out of their control, is the reason. The sociologist isn't interested in therapy but just what's going on from the point of view of the desperado child. Finding where they fit in and resisting where they're made to fit in, in short, to find the balance that fits them.

Innocence wipes all that out, once it's part of the figuring.; 9/3/25, 7:44 PM
Kakistocracy said...: Trump says the Epstein victims are pushing a hoax and what they have to say is irrelevant. Proud day to be MAGA; 9/3/25, 7:47 PM
rhhardin said...: Here's Goffman with the sociologist's part of that dual sociologist/psychiatrist take. Just read it as applying to children as well (taking them seriously)

The simplest sociological view of the individual and his self is that he is to himself what his place in an organization defines him to be. When pressed, a sociologist modifies this model by granting certain complications : the self may be not yet formed or may exhibit conflicting dedications. Perhaps we should further complicate the construct by elevating these qualifications to a central place, initially defining the individual, for sociological purposes, as a stance-taking entity, a something that takes up a position somewhere between identificaton with an organization and opposition to it, and is ready at the slightest pressure to regain its balance by shifting its involvement to either direction. It is thus _against something_ that the self can emerge. This has been appreciated by students of totalitarianism ...

I have argued the same case in regard to total institutions. May this not be the situation, however, in free society, too?

Without something to belong to, we have no stable self, and yet total commitment and attachment to any social unit implies a kind of selflessness. Our sense of being a person can come from being drawn into a wider social unit ; our sense of selfhood can arise through the little ways in which we resist the pull. Our status is backed by the solid buildings of the world, while our sense of personality identity often resides in the cracks.

Goffman _Asylums_ ``The Underlife of a Public Institution'' p.320; 9/3/25, 7:50 PM
rhhardin said...: See the McMartin child care cases. Here there are lawyers with suggestions instead of prosecutors. Might be what Trump has in mind in addition to the case brought by what's her name.; 9/3/25, 7:57 PM
rhhardin said...: Lileks joked long ago that he'd have no problem with his (little) daughter dating once she's 26 or so.; 9/3/25, 8:00 PM
rhhardin said...: The point of the father giving the bride away is giving away that responsibility.; 9/3/25, 8:00 PM
rhhardin said...: It's for the father, not the daughter.; 9/3/25, 8:01 PM
Jaq said...: It looks like somebody is paying to get blogs flooded with this nonsense. Trump can't prove a negative, there is no indication in his whole life that he is a pedophile, unlike Pedo Pete, err, I mean our former POTUS. Always accuse the other guy of what you are guilty of. We had a story yesterday about Democrats paying "influencers" to spam the web with their "messaging," and this stinks like that.; 9/3/25, 8:04 PM
Maynard said...: It looks like an Igna thread.

Is she off her meds?; 9/3/25, 8:06 PM
Gospace said...: Grundoon said...
...
"The grid" has never had a fuel-cost-free source like solar, and has never had a time shifter like batteries.

Water wheels have been used since the 4th century BC (Before Christ). Natural moving water is a pretty reliable power source.

Windmills were first used somewhere in 400-900 AD. And like today, only worked when the wind was blowing. Reliable enough for what they were being used for- pumping water and grinding grain.

Evidence is sails- wind power for propulsion- date back to before 3000 BC.

Hydropower is used today to power our 24/7/365 reliable power grid. Wind and solar cannot do that. Even with time shifting batteries. And lots of energy conversions, each of which reduces efficiencies. Solar power generates DC- not used in the grid. Stored in a battery as DC. Converted to AC with an inverter- which doesn't generate pure sine waves of AC, which can cause problems, or with a motor-generator set. Windpower can generate pure AC- but, and it's a big but, even a steady wind isn't steady. And each part of a MPH change causes the frequency to go up or down a little. The grid can easily handle up to about 30% of the load coming from wind- anything more and frequency control starts going to h--l.

And fuel isn't the only cost. Capital investment on hydro is on par with conventional power plants. Capital investment on large scale windpower is more- a large windmill will never generate enough electricity to cover the energy costs in making it. And they use a few hundred to a few thousand gallons of lubricating oil a year- which must be changed a few hundred feet up. Not cost free. Solar power? Cost has been driven down so the KWH capital investment cost of generating power is cheaper. Much more expensive once you start adding energy storage to the equation. And how much power do you store? 4 hours worth? Laughably useless. We get snowy weeks here in CNY where no sun is available at all for a week or more. So now you're talking 7 days OR MORE of storage to hint at solar reliability for the grid. Your capital costs now dwarfs that of any conventional power plant. And after the snow stops- someone needs to get our there and clear the panels off. Daily- snow drifts.; 9/3/25, 8:10 PM
Original Mike said...: "the victims who stated today that they had been threatened with all sorts of things, even death by Epstein "

Epstein is dead.; 9/3/25, 8:20 PM
Inga said...: “Epstein is dead.”

Really? Who knew?! However, many of his clients are still alive. Do you think these women are safe from the rich powerful men who were Epstein’s clients if they would name them? Do you not think Epstein threatened these women to protect his clients? Or do you think Epstein was such a big stud he sexually abused the underage and young women all just for himself. The victim’s number at around 1000.; 9/3/25, 8:28 PM
Mason G said...: "And how much power do you store? 4 hours worth? Laughably useless. We get snowy weeks here in CNY where no sun is available at all for a week or more."

Last winter where I live (SW Idaho) in one four week stretch of December/January, there were just a handful of days where we got any sun, and none of it was cloudless. The rest, no sun at all. And that's hardly unusual.

Batteries? Hahahahahahahahahahaha. There's not enough money or resources available for that.; 9/3/25, 8:36 PM
Original Mike said...: I don't think about Epstein hardly at all, Inga.; 9/3/25, 8:40 PM
Original Mike said...: In order for the grid to be backed up by batteries against whatever that German word is for cloudy and windless episodes, requires energy storage equivalent to several months of grid usage.; 9/3/25, 8:45 PM
Inga said...: “I don't think about Epstein hardly at all, Inga.”

Yes, that’s apparent. There’s a whole world of things happening outside your bubble Mike.; 9/3/25, 8:50 PM
Old and slow said...: Aside from scoring political points or a prurient interest, NO ONE actually cares about the imaginary Epstein list. Also, none of us has the slightest idea what happened or what evidence may exist. It's all just moral posturing and the desire to make the other guy look bad. They were teens, he was a creep, and we know Trump was peripheral or it would have long since been leaked. Jesus Christ, this is a boring obsession.; 9/3/25, 8:53 PM
Original Mike said...: It's a big world, Inga. There's a lot happening in it. I'm confident if anything actually happens with Epsteingate, you'll report it here. That frees me up to worry about other stuff.; 9/3/25, 8:59 PM
Jim at said...: RE: Seinfeld finale

Myself, I thought it was great,

I thought it was pretty good, fun and a unique way to bring back some of the recurring characters. And for those who maybe didn't watch all of the series, a chance to go back and see who and what those characters during syndication.; 9/3/25, 9:22 PM
Mr. Majestyk said...: I was so disappointed with the Seinfeld series finale. It was basically a clip show. Not clever at all.; 9/3/25, 11:27 PM
gadfly said...: Original Mike: Thanks to a search Assist function, the following answer appeared:

The German word for cloudy and windless episodes is "Dunkelflaute," which translates to "dark doldrums." This term describes periods when there is minimal energy generation from renewable sources like wind and solar due to a lack of sunlight and wind.

So we can agree that "dunkeflaute" conditions will routinely occur forever in the expensive world of renewable energy.; 9/4/25, 1:07 AM
BUMBLE BEE said...: If Epstein stays Chorus pays.; 9/4/25, 5:09 AM
lonejustice said...: Over 1,000 children were sexually abused by Epstein and his friends/clients, but if you are concerned about this and want justice for the victims, then Old and slow says: "It's all just moral posturing and the desire to make the other guy look bad."; 9/4/25, 7:00 AM
Achilles said...: Inga said...
“I don't think about Epstein hardly at all, Inga.”

Yes, that’s apparent. There’s a whole world of things happening outside your bubble Mike.

Intelligent people realized that if there was any evidence that Trump even looked at these girls Biden would have charged him with 34 counts of rape.

They also realized that these girls could have filed charges with police but didn’t because none of them are poor now.

All they have to do is give the money back and go down to the police station.

I would prefer they give the money back and press charges so we can put some pedarasts like Bill Clinton in jail. But that is entirely up to the women here and I understand why they want to keep the money.; 9/4/25, 7:04 AM
Achilles said...: lonejustice said...

Over 1,000 children were sexually abused by Epstein and his friends/clients, but if you are concerned about this and want justice for the victims, then Old and slow says: "It's all just moral posturing and the desire to make the other guy look bad."

It has to be embarrassing to pretend that you care about women and be supporting the party of rapists like Bill Clinton and Joe Biden. We could even add touchdown Tim Walz.; 9/4/25, 7:08 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Wow lotta comments about a bluestem!; 9/4/25, 7:26 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Relying on DNC news sources has not served lonejustice and Inga well. The verified victims went through a lengthy process during the 2020-2021 resolution of the Epstein Victims Compensation Fund (VCF) and roughly 600 victims were paid out over $120M from the Epstein Estate, with some saying the total was closer to $500M.

IF there is a gag order, WHO enforces it? IF these women are getting death threats, WHO is making them? Like others I am very suspicious because (1) they could have named names yesterday, if they are allowed; (2) the presence of Gloria Allred, Massie and Kana together has a uniparty operation scent, a very unpleasant smell; and (3) every document, tape and record released about Epstein AND his arrest and conviction happened during Trump's terms. No democrat ever released or ASKED for release of this information prior to a few days ago.; 9/4/25, 7:38 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Kinda weird when the victims yesterday said that many "girls from Slavic countries" were trafficked here by Epstein. I wonder if those country names rhyme with Butane.; 9/4/25, 7:48 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Also they mentioned that the State Department under Clinton and Obama assisted Epstein in getting the foreign girls he trafficked into the USA. More of that great "work" USAID was doing with taxpayer money.

Any of our resident lefty geniuses care to explain that?; 9/4/25, 7:50 AM
Rusty said...: Maynard said...
"It looks like an Igna thread.

Is she off her meds?"

No. General Mittens, leader of her vast cat army, told this was the subject she should comment on.; 9/4/25, 8:03 AM
Inga said...: “…roughly 600 victims were paid out over $120M from the Epstein Estate, with some saying the total was closer to $500M.”

Not accurate. The Epstein VCP received approximately 225 claims, with around 150 claimants deemed eligible for compensation. Of those, about 138–150 victims received payouts, with 92% of eligible claimants (roughly 135–138 people) accepting the offers.; 9/4/25, 8:09 AM
Rusty said...: Mike (MJB Wolf) said...
"Wow lotta comments about a bluestem!"

We have the "Dick Young" native prairie preserve. It is comprised of a little bit more than a section of restored prairie and woodlands.; 9/4/25, 8:11 AM
Peachy said...: Keep hope alive - I nag.; 9/4/25, 8:40 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Ig says 120 / FLC says 1000...

I'll stick with MY source until a definite better source is identified, seeing as no lefty mentioned the VCP, and Ig (of course) quoted the same iffy AI sources that Google (the evil site that prefers NYT drivel over all others) used. Still no takers on my 7:50 challenge because lefties prefer low hanging, low effort, low quality fruit.; 9/4/25, 8:46 AM
Sweetie said...: It's weird that the Acosta matter that has the Ds so steamed happened 16 years ago during which the Ds had the Presidency for 12 of those years. So for awhile there they weren't steamed. More like tap watered.; 9/4/25, 9:22 AM
Inga said...: NEW YORK, Aug 9 (Reuters) - A fund to compensate victims of “Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuses has completed the payout process, giving more than $121 million to about 138 people, the fund's administrator said on Monday.

About 225 claimants had sought restitution from the Epstein Victims' Compensation Fund, more than twice the 100 expected when the fund opened in June 2020.”

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/jeffrey-epstein-victims-fund-awards-125-mln-claims-process-ends-2021-08-09/; 9/4/25, 10:05 AM
john mosby said...: Rusty: ‘ We have the "Dick Young" native prairie preserve.’

And Walz is going to establish the “Young Dick” reserve in MN.

“Bluestem” is the nickname he calls his wiener. RR, JSM; 9/4/25, 10:06 AM
Rusty said...: jm
(very good); 9/4/25, 12:10 PM