Building a new regime

You know, I don't think I saw any of the films nominated for Best Picture... to be sure, I don't see a LOT of movies when they come out, so this is not exactly a surprise.  But, this year, nothing seemed to really strike me.  "Roma," maybe.  Not into superheroes, so "Black Panther," no... "Bohemian Rhapsody,"maybe.  The winner, of course, didn't exactly get good reviews, so I figured I could eschew that.  But, no!

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/why-are-these-professional-war-peddlers-still-around-tucker-carlson-max-boot-bill-kristol/

I got a kick out of this one...mind you, I don't necessarily think it is wrong; but these lines:

It is possible to isolate the precise moment that Trump permanently alienated the Republican establishment in Washington: February 13, 2016. There was a GOP primary debate that night in Greenville, South Carolina, so every Republican in Washington was watching. Seemingly out of nowhere, Trump articulated something that no party leader had ever said out loud. “We should never have been in Iraq,” Trump announced, his voice rising. “We have destabilized the Middle East.”

Many in the crowd booed, but Trump kept going: “They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none. And they knew there were none.

Um....maybe?  I think the nice thing about an outsider, of course, is that they can say these things.  And, the nice thing about Trump is that he can say anything.  But... all of this is true, but one could also say -- and I sort of believe -- that going into Iraq (and elsewhere) wasn't wrong...just that it is one thing to win the war, and another to win the peace.  Indeed, there is actually some logic to that -- we've done this before (WWI, Korea, Desert Storm).  Of course, you could also say that the Middle East -- US involvement or not -- will always ne destablized and chaotic (which I also think is true).  Also...well, I bet most of these voters supported the war; they just didn;t like the aftermath, such as causalties and a Democratic president. But to me, the crux here is... well, what would he have done instead?  That I am not sire he could answer (ok, he'd have 100 answers, but you get my drift).

”

Amusing

I have to admit, I find the whole Kraft stoty to be...amusing?  On the one hand, a 77-year-old guy should be able to get a "happy ending;" of course, we all know-- as I told my suddenly libertarian mother -- that this isn't Miss Kitty and the Long Branch anymore; most of these women are victims and not, well, independent contractors...  I guess the best solution would be for Kraft to apologize, offer a suitable sum of money to some related cause, and go away...  The funny part is that this is the NFL;  I mean, I bet we could find 100 players now who have pulled more crap than he has...

I get a kick out of this story, even now...
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/02/jussie-smollett-beating-case-question-for-believers/

But my original comment remains true...journalists are lovely people, but they aren't very bright, and expecting them to do anything but jump and follow the social justice implications, and not the story itself, is asking WAY too much of them,

Amusement

This could be me, but... it seemed that the entire Duke team and coaching staff just collapsed last night when Zion went down, and that is... a problem?  I mean, for a team down 23 against Louisville... I think you have to put some of this on Coach K, as it really seemed that they didn't make any adjustments.  Oi.  I mentioned they were like the Buckeyes in 2007, when Troy Smith went down and it just fell apart. 

The sports world has given us two awesome articles (I am too lazy to link them); the Trevor Bauer one, of course, which was funny as hell in so many ways.  I sort of liked Cody Allen telling him to piss off on how to fix his curveball, actually.  Funny; for all of his struggles, you would have thought that maybe he'd try something. The other article I enjoyed was the one on ESPN.com about the Tim Donaghy scandal.  Maybe it is my family's gambling background, but... I do like those things.  The thing I found...fascinating... was that everyone seemed to know about it. I realize that 1) these things have a tendency to be found out and spiral and 2) people like money, but... to me, these guys had a sure thing, and rather than just make a few bets here and there for a prolonged period of time...  Anyways, to me, the nebulousness of officiating -- calling balls and strikes, the nebulousness of contact fouls -- would seem to me to be the best way to throw a game...

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/02/inside-elizabeth-holmess-final-months-at-theranos
I always love stories like this. I don't know, this could be me, but for all of the brouhaha about, say, Trevor Bauer... it's not like he is doing anything remotely criminal, and if he is using all of this tech to improve himself, so be it, whereas, as I like to say, Little Miss Theranos is committing crimecrime....

Guestimating

So,I was doing some errands today, and at one of them, they had a little trivia contest, which was basically... what is the African-American population of the US in percent terms, based on the last census.  I know it isn't that much, and said 14%... they were pretty impressed; the answer is 12.8% (I was also impressed).  Anyways, we were talking, and most of the answers were 40 or 50%... I opined that the issue was one of distribution -- here in NE Ohio, African-Americans are fairly large population growths, but in much of the US, that is just NOT the case.  They were of the opinion that in terms of media... well, you see more people of color out there than there actually are, which I think is sort of true...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/can-the-middle-class-revival-under-trump-last/ar-BBTtTRj?li=BBnbfcL

I got a kick out of this one; I mean, on the one hand, it is good to see someone in the media giving credit to what Trump has accomplished.  Of course, they couldn't wait to add all sorts of caveats.  But considering all of the trouble the media is having with reporting the facts nowadays...well, we must take these things as they come.

More linx

Busy couple of days!! Last nite I went to dinner with some friends -- Barrio in Lakewood, which was good, and I even found convenient parking, though let's face it, it is sort of a rigamaroley to get there and paw through the order sheet.  Today I had OC duty -- surprisingly busy, we gave away all of the produce (by design) and a lot of garments in the clothing room.  The off to Mom's, the gym, and home, where I tried to get thtough the pile of emails and links. Still not done...

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/sean-omalley-pope-francis-catholic-church-sex-abuse/582658/

 Years ago, I was talking to a priest from Europe -- but who had spent a lot of time here, and he said the problem was the in Europe, the rules are viewed as the best-case scenario; people lived to them as close as they could, and that was that, whereas here, the rule is THE rule and that's that.  His view -- which seemed a little permissive to me -- was that this was the root of the problem... Europeans who run the Church just don't get this.  And, he added... there are more of us -- he meant the peons in the pews -- and thus no one other there can't get a grasp of the anger.  And I was like, then and now, well, maybe you should.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-02-13/a-congress-of-millionaires?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=190213&utm_campaign=sharetheview

Um, no?  Maybe?  I think the issue -- believed by a LARGE group of GOPers -- is that government is so big and expensive in that you have the same, entrenched people running it...  Anyways, rotation of government -- especially in the legislative branch -- would acheieve that... also, surreptitiously, you would see more of the small business types, a natural GOP, government-cutting bloc if any.

https://www.wired.com/story/journalism-isnt-dying-its-returning-its-roots/

 um...good?  I think it would at least have the advantage of the pretense of honesty....

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/your-taxes-2019-theyre-rich-and-theyre-mad-about-taxes-too-low/ar-BBTvjtc?li=BBnbfcN

 I love the last part; they think they aren't being taxed enough, but certainly not enough to cut the check themselves...

linx

I have to admit, watching yet another round of Democratic scandals in Cuyahoga County... I mean, I think the main problem is that, of course, you have one party rule, but on the other hand, with all of the stuff the county has had in the past, you'd think they would be...smarter?  Less obvious?  I mean, really. 

In the meantime, the Duke comeback was pretty awesome, but... after a while, don't you have to change things a bit, like stop shooting 3s so often?  They really aren't very good with them, and until that changes... I mean, it's not like they don't have any options inside...

https://www.vox.com/2019/2/13/18223535/aziz-ansari-sexual-misconduct-allegation-me-too
This could be me, but...what if he is...innocent?  As I often say at work -- to the amusement of all, let me tell you -- Democrats don't have a very good record when it comes to defending people of color who are accused of this sort of thing...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/he-was-in-his-face-trump-fumes-over-abortion-courts-evangelicals/ar-BBTyLMD?li=BBnb7Kz
There was something of a kerfuffle on the right, with Evan McMillan saying that he was now going to support Trump in 2020... aside from the fact that Christian conservatives (like the son of Jerry Falwell) are supporting a thrice-married man with a (long) history of paying off his conquests, I would argue that THIS is why; these people have gotten more from Trump (arguably) than two terms of W, so...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/ryan-adams-dangled-success-women-say-they-paid-a-price/ar-BBTyu14?li=BBnb2gh

Um...yes? Ok, if the accusations levied against him by an underage girl are true, that's one thing...  as for the other... I don't know?  I guess I would say that maybe now the issue -- in this post-Weinstein era -- is that people don't like this anymore?  I mean, an article of "guy hates his exes and tries to ruin their careers" without this... is that a story?  Maybe?  It is sketch, of course, but that isn't technically...wrong?  Like, if this were two real estate agents....

Respite

After a long and busy week, we then have a long and busy weekend, which means that here I am, making what appears to be a weekly blog.  Oi.  I guess one achievement of sorts is that I was able to not only clean out the email folder of variously relevant stuff, but was also able to go through a bunch of bookmarked links, so that part of the computer looks neater, too... rah.

I was amused to see the world -- at least here -- go into partial meltdown over the Lindor injury; jokes about the crack medical staff aside, I am not sure this is the worst thing... I mean, he won't miss that much time and I think they can survive for a bit.  In the meantime, this may motivate the Tribe front office brass to go and out and, you know, improve the team.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-decline-of-historical-thinking

Um...yes/no/maybe?  I would think the main issue is, like anything else, that people have to see this investment in themselves will pay; with all the degree choices out there, there has to some relevance to a prospective student.  I don't think that people are any less interested in learning about the world out there, but maybe the profession has to sell something new to people to get the students in the seats?

Catching up

This could be me, but for all of the kvetching about the Super Bowl...well, people watched, didn't they?  And, honestly, do you really think the NFL wanted something exciting, politically?  Of course not; I mean, picking Maroon 5 in the first place did the trick...

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/in-depth/news/taken/2019/01/27/taken-johnnie-grant-sc-civil-forfeiture-rapper-greenville-investigation/2459384002/
This could be me, but I would think that this is the sort of the GOP could get into fixing AND improving their standing among African-Americans.  I realize of course that these goals would seem to be mutually exclusive, but... they shouldn't be?  It's morally wrong, for one, and two, if the GOP really believes in, say, limiting the exploitave powers of government...well, this should be one of them, right?

Speaking of, Donald Trump made a good point...namely, what about the oppo research in VA?  This could be me, but I would like to think that a yearbook photo should be easy to spot.  Now, I realize getting the guy now has all sorts of advantages, but I would have thought putting a GOP governor in VA -- outside shot though it may be -- would have been a priority as well.  It does come at a nice time for the President -- it's hard to paint the GOP as racist asshats when one of your own is in blackface -- and it would be funny as hell if the Donald referenced it tomorrow...