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Open thread 2/8/23 — 56 Comments

  1. Going all Cassandra on us?
    Gosh I hope not…
    (Even if it entirely understandable…)

    One wonders if it, is in fact, a moral imperative to try to remain, somehow, optimistic…or at least work at it…

    Pollyanna’s of the World Unite!(?)
    – – – – – – – –
    Anyway, if anyone wants to know the “essence” of the SOTU (or perhaps State of the Fractured Union), here’s someone who’s distilled it all out, so we don’t have to worry (or puke) if we missed any of the juicy parts.
    (Can’t promise it’s entirely odorless, though…)
    “Biden SOTU Post-Mortem: Inflation, Inflation, Inflation, & Tax Hikes”—
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/biden-sotu-post-mortem-inflation-inflation-inflation-tax-hikes

    Basically, stupidity, perversity and pain…
    (The new unholy Democratic Party trinity?)

  2. And from the “I knew all along the vaccine was no good” File, we present our favorite psychopath (or one of them):
    ‘Fauci paper suggests feds knew COVID vaccines were doomed from the start: ‘Decidedly suboptimal’;
    ‘ “Systemic immunity” through intramuscular injection has never worked for respiratory viruses, ex-NIAID chief admits after stepping down, promoting “mucosal immunization” long advocated by critics.’—
    https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/decidedly-suboptimal-fauci-paper-suggests-feds-knew-covid-vaccines-were

    Gotta give it to the guy: He LOVES to play games, perhaps even more than Decent Joe (and has taken that love of his all the way to the bank)…never mind how much destruction he’s wrought. (Destroying others is all part of the game, you see…)
    Wonder what the chances are of Dr. Rand Paul or RFK Jr. deciding to take Fauci up on the challenge and suing that pathetic grin right off his evil face…

  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a502RejLz8s&ab_channel=amethyst2001

    Is it a kind of dream
    Floating out on the tide
    Following the river of death downstream
    Oh, is it a dream?

    There’s a fog along the horizon
    A strange glow in the sky
    And nobody seems to know where you go
    And what does it mean
    Oh, is it a dream?

    Bright eyes, burning like fire
    Bright eyes, how can you close and fail?
    How can the light that burned so brightly
    Suddenly burn so pale?
    Bright eyes

    Is it a kind of shadow
    Reaching into the night
    Wandering over the hills unseen
    Or is it a dream?

    There’s a high wind in the trees
    A cold sound in the air
    And nobody ever knows when you go
    And where do you start
    Oh, into the dark

    Bright eyes, burning like fire
    Bright eyes, how can you close and fail?
    How can the light that burned so brightly
    Suddenly burn so pale?
    Bright eyes

    Bright eyes, burning like fire
    Bright eyes, how can you close and fail?
    How can the light that burned so brightly
    Suddenly burn so pale?
    Bright eyes

    Bright Eyes by Art Garfunkel

  4. Michael Leahy of TN Star reporting today that photos of a beaten Tyre were sent to a “female acquaintance” of one of the officers.

    The “non-denial denial” issued last week to Newsweek and TN Star saying the police knew nothing of this appears to be an outright lie.
    (I know, I know–such a surprise…)

    https://twitter.com/TheTNStar/status/1623337711141634051

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/08/tyre-nichols-officer-shared-photos-demetrius-haley

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64570457

  5. On the various revelations around the Chinese Spy balloon(s). In short, either we’re being lied to or we’ve failed multiple times to detect these giant balloons that are evidently visible to the naked eye until long after the fact. And (perhaps even worse) our “intelligence” community evidently failed to inform either Trump or Biden of these failures once they were discovered. No matter what you believe, it’s all bad.

  6. Yancey Ward,

    I saw a documentary on the topic of volcano lahars. They spent considerable time on the devastation cause by Rainier’s last lahar which today would obliterate everything from south Tacoma to the mountain.

  7. Not to distract from Rainier’s potential for destruction, but I think the photo up top is Shasta; mostly based on general shape and the area where our hostess is doing her TDY.

  8. nonapod – I’ve wondered about that. A jet airliner flies at 30,000 ft. If it weren’t for the jet trail, the only thing we would see of a jet airliner on the ground would be lights at night or glints of reflected sun in the day.

    This baloon was reportedly at 60,000 ft, twice the cruising altitude of an airliner. It’s been reported that it was about the size of three school busses. I assume that refers to the payload only. The baloon itself must have been truly massive to be visible from the ground.

    Anyway, it’s entirely plausible to me that a smaller baloon at 60k feet would go unnoticed from the ground. If it also went undetected by our air defenses, that would be disturbing. If balloons were detected, but not disclosed to Trump and his national security staff, that would be more disburbing.

  9. Another day, another AOC rant with all the hand gesture trimmings. This time about the “fake Hunter Laptop”. I guess facts don’t matter to her, and to man, many others.

  10. I took the photo many years ago when visiting Seattle (and Gerard), so I’m pretty sure it’s Rainier but not 100% sure. I’ve been to both Shasta and Rainier many times and taken many photos of each.

  11. Rowdy Republicans roil the SOTU waters.

    MSM is chiding the GOP for challenging Biden’s lies.

    Good discussion here:
    https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/chris-queen/2023/02/08/gop-congressman-dismisses-complaints-over-lack-of-decorum-at-state-of-the-union-n1668979
    (Hat tip Instapundit.)

    Key point:
    “Political figures on both sides of the aisle should expect the public — and their colleagues — to hold them accountable. Joe Biden shouldn’t be able to get away with spouting lies with impunity.

    “It can’t be in a liberal democratic nation like ours that these state-subsidized fibs go out unchallenged,” Purple writes.

    On Tuesday night, it just so happened that the GOP was prepared to hold Biden accountable for his statements in real time. The media may complain, but Ogles is right: Republicans should call Biden out when he lies to score cheap political points before a national audience.”

  12. AOC also repeated the lie that LIbsofTikTok “incited” bomb threats against Boston Children’s Hospital. I don’t know if statements in committee instead of on the House floor are subject to lawsuits for defamation. Probably not, alas.

  13. It looks like there’s going to be an interesting lesson for all of us coming up in the 2024 GOP Presidential nomination contest. Even if they didn’t go full Lincoln Project or Bill Kristol, a bunch of conservative talking heads have HATED Donald Trump and been happy to spew venom at him and his supporters. Now a lot of them, if not almost all, are very much on the DeSantis train.

    But any time any of them say or write anything pro-DeSantis, even if I might intellectually agree with them, the result is I like DeSantis less. And yeah, that’s an immature reaction on my part but I don’t think I’m alone in that.

    Basically, people who behaved VERY childishly are now relying on others to be more grown up than they were. That’s something Leftist agitators have been doing for decades. I’m not sure it’s going to work this time.

    Mike

  14. If we’re going to talk about childish behavior, how about Trump? The smears he’s aiming at DeSantis ought to be beneath him, but aren’t.

  15. The Seymour Hersh story is based on more of those “anonymous sources” we all ought to know better than to accept without corroboration.

  16. “If we’re going to talk about childish behavior, how about Trump? The smears he’s aiming at DeSantis ought to be beneath him, but aren’t.”

    The dude tried to imply Ted Cruz’ father killed JFK or something. There’s very little that’s beneath Donald Trump. And what was the result? Ted Cruz proved to be the bigger man, while John McCain and his whole family did not.

    Mike

  17. Well there are more than a few problems with it now some administration statements suggest motive however who is his source or even where would he be in organization chart

  18. Ted Cruz proved to be the bigger man, while John McCain and his whole family did not.

    In fairness to McCain, Trump’s cut was brutal. His salvo at the Cruz family was just weird.

    That having been said, one of Cindy McCain’s targets was Sarah Palin, who did nothing to merit insults.

  19. The Seymour Hersh story

    He’s written the same story scores of times since 1968. Just whips out the templates and fills in the blanks with the events and actors du jour.

  20. It was always most likely that the US would disable/blow up NordStream 2. This would prevent Germany and Europe from cold feet on the war.

    Then there’s always the fact Biden said we would.

  21. Since this is an open thread, I’m trying Opera as a browser- any cautions, comments, etc.?

  22. well there is that, it’s circumstancial evidence, mostly what administration officials said, but not more than that, yes I remember kal 007, and the samson affair against israel among his other misfired,

  23. Alan Colbo:

    I used Opera for years because I didn’t want to use Chrome, Firefox or IE. Opera also had a small memory footprint.

    Then YouTube stopped working. Don’t know why. So I switched to Brave, which has been fine, once I got used to it.

    Now Opera is working with YouTube. Still don’t know why.

    Opera is a Good Enough Browser and it’s not always trying to sucker you into doing things their way for their benefit.

  24. Brain E:

    Time will tell. If Brandon told the truth it would be unprecidented. I’m not sure how “fact” and Brandon can exist in the same universe.

  25. Last night Paul Nachman compared the Chauvin/Floyd case to the “Dreyfus Affair” (or “l’Affaire Dreyfus” as the Fench would say). So I refreshed my memory of Dreyfus.

    I had seen the Hollywood version, “I Accuse!” (1958), on TV as a child and been quite impressed.

    I found it salutary to renew my acquaintance with Dreyfus. His case was an important turning point in French history. (And probably played a part in “The Rules of the Game,” the Renoir film I was complaining about.)

    Strangely enough, Polanski has directed a recent film on Dreyfus based on a Robert Harris book. “An Officer and a Spy” (2019). I have no idea what kind of film that turned out to be. Well reviewed, though.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Officer_and_a_Spy_(film)

    I was mainly touched, though, to discover Dreyfus had devoted much of his time imprisoned on Devil’s Island to teaching himself English in order to read Shakespeare in the original.

    You’re OK, Dreyfus!

  26. Re: Nord Stream 2

    Just because Seymour Hersh flogs a story, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Like Christie’s “The Orient Express” many had a motive to blow up Nord Stream 2, including the US.

    But getting exposed as the culprit? I don’t think anyone had a motive for that. But the Biden administration has been caught for many things already.

    In any event the destruction of Nord Stream 2 was an intentional attack on international infrastructure and serious business, no matter who did it.

    If it is proved the Biden administration did the deed, expect US-European relations to take a big hit.

  27. “…according to Government Executive, the officials’ titles were recently changed and they are no longer in violation. The head of ICE, Tae Johnson, was “acting director” and now is “senior official performing the duties of director.””

    The Hill had a story about some agencies having “acting directors” for too long a period in the Biden administration. They can only hold the title for 210 days before having to be confirmed.

    This is how Biden got around at least on agency! Problem solved!

  28. Just because Seymour Hersh flogs a story, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

    It’s the way to bet. You be you.

  29. This is pretty damning:
    _____________________________

    Biden: if russia invades uh that means tanks or troops crossing the uh the border of ukraine again then uh there will be uh we there will be no longer a nord stream 2 we will bring an end to it

    Journalist: what how would you how will you do that exactly since the project and control of the project is within germany’s control

    Biden: we will i promise you we’ll be able to do it

    –“Biden says he’ll shut down Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia further invades Ukraine” (Feb 9, 2022)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVbEoZXhCrM

    _____________________________

    Note that Biden said this a year ago.

  30. I don’t believe Hersh. I don’t disbelieve him either.

    The US had motivation to kill Nord Stream 2. And Biden clearly threatened to do so.

    That doesn’t mean the US did it. But I don’t see how the possibility can be ruled out at this stage.

  31. Occam’s Razor – Brandon talking, place your bets on anything but what he spews.
    Brandon speak is entirely calculated or intended to make Brandon look good, factuality has nothing to do with what he says.

  32. “Brandon speak is entirely calculated or intended to make Brandon look good”

    Last March Biden said “Putin cannot remain in power”. The administration quickly tried to walk back the statement, but do you doubt that’s not US intentions?

    Fionna Hill reported last fall “According to multiple former senior U.S. officials we spoke with, in April 2022, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators appeared to have tentatively agreed on the outlines of a negotiated interim settlement: Russia would withdraw to its position on February 23, when it controlled part of the Donbas region and all of Crimea, and in exchange, Ukraine would promise not to seek NATO membership and instead receive security guarantees from a number of countries.”

    Shortly after that Boris Johnson goes to Ukraine and scuttles the idea.

    What is the end goal? It certainly looks like regime change to me.

    And of all the state actors, the US with the aid of Norway are the most likely suspects. Biden isn’t in control. It is plausible he’s just repeating what he hears in briefings. How cognizant is he? He seems to have good days and then…..who knows?

  33. Is Nord Stream 2 still a debate topic despite what Victoria Nuland and Biden had to say about it?

    It’s possible that perps who cop to a crime in advance didn’t do it, but I don’t think Perry Mason would take that case.

  34. As Biden and his fan-folks celebrate his enormous accomplishments, others wonder how low Joe will go…
    Compare and contrast:
    “What Fauci Knew About Vaccine Ineffectiveness… And When”—
    https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/just-how-hard-were-we-trolled
    “Maryland Considering Bill That Would Allow The Vaccination Of Children Without Parent’s Consent”—
    https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/maryland-considering-bill-would-allow-
    vaccination-children-without-parents-consent
    File under: The killers amongst us.

    + Bonus
    “Distract, Divide, & Conquer: The Painful Truth About The State Of Our Union”—
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/distract-divide-conquer-painful-truth-about-state-our-union
    ‘Johnstone: They’re Not Worried About “Russian Influence”, They’re Worried About Dissent’—
    https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/johnstone-theyre-not-worried-about-russian-influence-theyre-worried-about-dissent
    “Distract, Divide, & Conquer: The Painful Truth About The State Of Our Union”—
    https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/distract-divide-conquer-painful-truth-about-state-our-union

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