Sunday Open Thread

Yet again.

[end of thread]

Comments

[Dale Denton]

Happy Easter.

Oh yeah, first!

[sbw]

No! I'm number one!

Well... not the first comment, but I feel kinda important in MY book.

Happy Easter, all!

[Captain Hate]

Good morning all; it's a lovely Easter morning in NE Ahia. And now it's time to do my local income taxes (which I was revolted to find out about when I moved here from Maryland in the early 70s) which I've been procrastinating on doing for months.

[Soylent Red]

Happy Easter all! Hope the bunny is good to you.

[Old Lurker]

He is risen!

There is hope for us afterall (though well hidden I'll admit)!

Happy Easter and good morning all.

[Porchlight]

Happy Easter JOM! A blessed and joyous day to all!

[centralcal]

oops, I posted this on the Saturday thread! Still not awake, I guess.

Happy Easter Morning everyone!

My prayers for an Easter rescue of the dear Captain. And, for the pirates . . . that they come face to face with their god.

[clarice]

Happy Easter, peeps.

A good article on the Stevens case--all the prosecutors and investigators are pointing fingers at eachother; the local US attys had refused to participate in the case because they thought it too shaky; Morris' prior mess up detailed; inadequate supervision of the OPI oh, and of course, it's all Bush' fault. (Really. The Republications politicized the Dept, per the authors, in ways not detailed because it is a bunk charge.)

[Rick Ballard]

He is risen, indeed!

Happiest Easter to all.

[Jane]

Where is the article Clarice.

[peter]

I see the Google home page continues in its tradition of ignoring Easter. I am sure Earth Day will get a big logo.

[clarice]

Ooops--

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102247.html>Shortcomings in Stevens' prosecution

[Old Lurker]

Clarice, did you notice the frontpage WaPo spin that the case was screwed up really only because the team moved too fast and simply got careless! Ha!

The real tension in the newest chapter in the PR aspect of the fight has to be inside Williams & Connely since that's Brendon Sullivan's firm, and it is also WaPo's firm.

[Old Lurker]

Williams & Connolly

[Old Lurker]

Still spelled wrong, darnit.

Whatever.

[clarice]

OL, That was the first spinnero out of the Dept. It's interesting how many things I argued, seem to be underscored by this piece--the lack of supervision, the fact that early on it was obvious this was a very weak case. It also indicares that Morris has been way over her head in this position. And she has been. In Morgenthau's shop she never got above prosecuting street crimes.

Also it is interesting that they report that OPI seems to consistently have ben playing games respecting their discovery obligations.

I really think the authors' gratuitous slam at the prior administration for politicizing the dept is bunk and they ought to be challenged on that.

[Jane]

From the WP article:

Four years earlier, Morris had run into trouble in a case she handled when a federal jury in Texas acquitted San Antonio criminal defense lawyer Alan Brown, who had been charged with tax offenses. In a subsequent civil suit filed by Brown, who alleged that FBI agents had wrongfully pursued him based on a sketchy account from his disgruntled secretary, the government ultimately paid Brown $1.34 million to settle the claim.

So why wasn't she fired? Could it be because the dems would scream politicization?

[Ranger]

They have to spin that Stevens was "let of on technicalities" because if the truth really sinks in that he was deliberately railroaded before an election, the impact of that would be enormous. It is essentially a breach of the fundimental foundation of democratic governance, that you don't use the overt power of the state to influence the voting process. If people can abuse power that way, why can't other people just use direct action agaist those they oppose?

[PeterUK]

"Big news today splashed all over the WaPo front page--the new dog! " Clarice Feldman.

Obviously the White House dog is more important than the Sea Dog.

Spare a thought for Captain Phillips and his family this Easter Sunday

[clarice]

She's a two fer, Jane.

I still wish I could find which counsel sat with lips buttoned when the NBC counsel presented that faked affidavit in which Russert asserted he couldn't talk to them when in fact he already had..I think it was an OPI contingent.

Was it OPE which cut the Russert Depo deal?
Was it OPI which misplaced the Eckenrode notes?
Was it OPI which knew but hid until trial that the notes of the first Libby interview were inconsistent--that is the agent who testified admitted the official notes were in error?

How deep was OPI into the problems with Libby's case that we documented over and over again?

[clarice]

Jane, consider, why in all those years she worked under Morgenthau was she still assigned to handle street crimes?

Two fer 1991 appointment who Bush could not demote or replace or reassign without this same Washington Post screaming bloody murder..

[Stephanie]

Happy Easter, as a good friend related the comments from a child at her church, "Jesus became undead!"

Children say the most precious things...

And for the golfers on the site... Woods and Mickelson together today. It should be interesting after the dustup with Steve Williams from over the winter.

[clarice]

That is fantastic.."became undead" indeed.

[narciso]

Happy Easter, all, it is not a technicality,
when you vouch for evidence, that you haven't verified it's authenticity, if you did and found it false, what do we call it,
perjury, or fraud. Of course, they are releasing on Easter Sunday, deep below the fold, I imagine. I was struck when I was in D.C. how I could look at a glance at the Post and see how either partially incorrect
or totally wrong, most of it was. And one amuses one self.

Ranger, would put a fine point on it, no one except us here, and the increasingly put upon citizens of the state of Alaska, much care about Stevens fate, but the Brown case is sure to resonate most profoundly
as prosecutorial overreach blending into persecution. for reasons passing understanding.

[Stephanie]

I bought myself an iphone for my birthday Friday and I found an app that gives live Masters updates and one that gives live MLB updates... the wonders of electronics today! I also found an app that is like Golf Caddie... gonna download that and try it out today.

Hope everyone has an awesome Easter! May your baskets be filled with an "unfair" abundance of eggs and candy.

[Fresh Air]

May the greatest haul of eggs accrue to the children who work hardest to find them! (children of taxpayers, natch.)

[Danube of Thought]

Happy Easter to all.

Ras approval index down to +2; overall approval at 55%. The nation awaits decisive action on pirates and piracy--will there be any?

[Danube of Thought]

According to Bloomberg, there has been a tentative deal worked out, but implementation has been put off for 24 hours.

"Under the terms of the agreement, which he said could still fall apart at any time, Richard Phillips and the four pirates holding him would all go free, and a 'small' ransom would be paid."

If any ransom at all is paid, Obama will come to regret it.

[Fresh Air]

Zero still doesn't understand that people respond to rewards and punishment. Top bankers are fleeing Goldman because they are being punished as employees of a TARP firm. More pirates will attack U.S. vessels since this group will get off scot-free and richer.

Have we said it enough? Zero is an idiot.

[clarice]

DoT Fox apparently interviewed a SEAL (-erhaps former SEAL) who said any hang ups in rescuing the captain were not operational ones.

[narciso]

Words increasingly fail, when describing the folly of this administration. Then again why should be surprised, that 'the Chicago way' isn't it, streamlined by the likes of Jackson, Wright, Pfleger,Farrakhan
with a little help from Alinsky. In fact aren't the pirates using Alinsky on him.

[Rick Ballard]

"any hang ups in rescuing the captain were not operational ones"

Clarice,

It could just be reluctance to kill a relative. Zero knows where Brother Slum George and Brother Rapist Samson are but there are still 10 or 12 other by blows to locate. It's one thing to leave your brother living in the dirt and quite another to kill him.

Perhaps Zero could have tracking devices attached to all his riffraff relatives? It might speed the decision making process in this type of situation.

[BB Key]

Two reports this morning on pirates : Navy SEALS have been training for this type of operation since the late 1980's and are being prevented from the mission from the "civilian side of the chain off command" former Navy commander on Fox news. John Bolton on Fox: Obama administration is trying to treat the hostage situatuin as "criminal act" rather than piracy.

[Jane]

Woods and Mickelson together today.

I can't wait. But I'm okay with a Kenny Perry victory too. Oh and Happy Birthday Stephanie. Our Elliott is falling down on the job.

Clarice I hope Scooter has it in him to ask that his conviction be overturned based on Brenda's baloney. And I want her in prison.

I hope everyone will find a tea party to attend on Wednesday. I think it is very very very important.

[clarice]

Wait till we learn the pirates are being given the monopoly on cabs to and from the Minneapolis airport!

[clarice]

Jane--I don't see how unless more turns up..Doesn't anyone remember the names of the attys from DoJ who handled the Russert affidavit case before Judge Hogan? I have a feeling they were from OPI.

[Danube of Thought]

It's painful to see this increasingly being painted as a demonstration of the helplessness of the US Navy. The helplessness is in one place, and one place only: the agonizing paralysis afflicting the president of the United States.

Things started to go down the slippery slope when the White House could communicate directly with on-scene commanders.

[clarice]

Yeah, DoT..Nows the time for a strategic communications break down.."I can't hear you guys..I will have to just go it alone! Sorry..crackle pop."

[PeterUK]

"Zero still doesn't understand that people respond to rewards and punishment. "

Of course he does,reward pirates and punish bankers with whom you have a contract.

Is the rumour true that the reason the hostage dilemma is persisting,is that the negotiators cannot agree what percentage Obama should receive for arranging the ransom?

[clarice]

No, PUK, it's because he's still in his room trying to decide which church to grace with his Easter presence.

[PeterUK]

"It's painful to see this increasingly being painted as a demonstration of the helplessness of the US Navy."

Beneficial crisis,sets the scene for,"Why do we pay all this money to a navy which is helpless".

T

[Stephanie]

Thanks for the bday wishes, Jane.

Clarice, I'm having visions of that O!pic with him holding the phone upside down captioned "Can you hear me now?" If the navy weren't so honorable, the response should be static.

Off to the club for Brunch, golf and watching Tiger pull a miraculous win out of his hat... no rabbits there!

Happy egg hunting to all... and may Zero find nothing but the rotten eggs... of course he will claim they were left overs from last year and thus Bush's fault.

HippityHoppityHopeNChange!

[PeterUK]

Clarice,
All that rising must have taken it out of him.

[clarice]

You think it's easy to become undead agian,PUK?

[PeterUK]

A cinch Clarice,if you know the right witch doctor.

[glasater]

In trying to "marry" two local tea parties I found out from our local county republican leaders that they are emphatically not involved in tea party efforts.

A blessed Easter to all regular JOM commentators and lurkers.

[clarice]

(PUK, I just heard Susan Boyle sing--tears are streaming down my face--what a beautiful, beautiful voice!!)

[Rick Ballard]

Gee, DoT, give the Commie in Chief a break. He's so wrapped up in the crisis that he had to have a pizza chef flown in from St. Louis to provide brain food. I understand they even moved "The Buck Passes Here" placard to the side of the desk in the Oval Office.

You're probably just upset over the Defense Peace Department plans to change vessel class designators. What's wrong with "Helper" rather than the far too militaristic "Destroyer"? What real difference does it make if "Cruisers" become "Organizers"?

[clarice]

And they said"Let them beat their swords into frisbies".
And it was done.

[glasater]

From a tweet:

WP Pirate story 11/08

Interesting relatively recent background of this piracy business.

Captain Phillips and his family are certainly in my thoughts and prayers.

[Elliott]

Happy birthday, Stephanie!

Our Elliott is falling down on the job.

Indeed. But AK sure came through for her.

[clarice]

Looking at that map of pirate attacks, one has to wonder why armed snipers haven'e regularly been riding on the container ships in those waters. Or does everyone thing playing sitting ducks to thugs is a better idea?

[clarice]

Happy BDay, Stephanie!

[PeterUK]

Susan Boyle.
That little smile she gav just before she sang, tells me she knew she was going to kick them in the ghoulies.

[Gmax]

Happy Easter everyone. To my Jewish friends I hope your passover was joyous too.

We are getting rain in North Texas, but given the recent bout of wildfires nearby, that is something else to be thankful for.

Hope your day is joyous.

[Fresh Air]

Clarice--

I believe merchant ships must be unarmed to receive free passage and dockage without inspection. Additionally, any sniper set-up at sea has to be pretty high-tech, with some sort of stabilization device to keep it level. I just don't think your average merchant security team is going to have that kind of weapon. Still, I would think for a supertanker or similar it would be warranted.

[clarice]

Well then the international law ought to be changed in areas deemed to be threatened by pirates.

[Barry Dauphin]

Ransom=Troubled Asset Relief for Pirates

On another front, Obama sends Ron Howard to negotiate for the captain's release.

[ben]

"Looking at that map of pirate attacks, one has to wonder why armed snipers haven'e regularly been riding on the container ships in those waters. Or does everyone thing playing sitting ducks to thugs is a better idea?"

Great idea Clarice. They can avoid the insurance and docking problems with armed merchant ships mentioned by Fresh Air by just conducting "sting operations", sending some leased ships teeming with weapons to blow the pirates to hell as soon as they approach. That would put a damper on the pirates if they knew they were playing Russian roulette each time they tried a hijacking.

[Jane]

Hey Elliott - we are paired today. I hope we don't come to blows.

[Rick Ballard]

FA,

I would think that it's a matter of insurance requirements rather than law. Armed resistance puts the hull and cargo at greater risk than capture (at the moment, at least). That's why, "not one cent for tribute" blather aside, companies and governments have always paid off pirates. Then the more efficient types hunted them down and killed them.

Of course, hunting and killing pirates requires a level of backbone and will which does not exist within this White House, so the pirates have a free pass for a few years unless they go after Russian flagged vessels. The Russians will play "old rules" and the pirates will quickly be with allah.

[PeterUK]

ben,
They used to be known as Q Ships. The didn't need no steenkin snipers.

[glasater]

CNN is reporting that the Captain has been released.

[ben]

"They used to be known as Q Ships. The didn't need no steenkin snipers."

Right, and since the pirate basically have skiffs with outboard engines and AK-47s and grenade launchers at best, even a nice juicy yacht could have enough ordinance on it to blast these guys out of the water quickly.

Are anvils illegal on a merchant ship? As soon as the pirate pull up to the side you could drop an anvil from the deck into their boat....swimming pirates would not be able to do much shooting.

[ben]

"CNN is reporting that the Captain has been released."

Let me guess, the owner of the vessel paid the ransom because "Obama does not negotiate with pirates or terrorists."

[clarice]

I'm hearing three of the four pirates were killed. Works for me.

[glasater]

Navy Seals involved.

Sounds like DOT operation.

[Gmax]

3 out of 4, classified as a very fine start. Get busy Obama, there is an Aegean stable with your name on it right here...

[clarice]

Yeah,SEALS!!!!!!!!!
Now the fourth pirate is supposed to e in custody--I do not want him brought here for trial..

[clarice]

Augean stable unless its Greeks bearing equine gifts.

[Danube of Thought]

All that I've heard definitively is that Phillips is free, three pirates dead, one in custody. The rest thus far sounds like speculation. Can't wait to hear the details.

What an Easter for the Phillips family.

[Jane]

Fox says he jumped in the water again.

[clarice]

If so, hell of a guy! First the pilot who glided into the Hudson--then this guy. Why not replace all the politicians with pilots and captains?

[Gmax]

You say POTATO and I say spud! Yes I missed typed from memory, are we ( you ? wink ) sure the Romans did not change the stable name along with the Greek name of the protagonist to a more roman sounding one too?

This is a stable that neads a river diverted to clean it, is the boy wonder up to the job?

Somehow I am betting on Jimmy Carter impersonation here...

[clarice]

HEH--Just pulling your chain,Gmax.Following up on yesterdays Marquis Aurelius.

[matt]

so the SEALS snuck up on the bad guys and killed them. All in a day's work. Sounds like most of the delay was to weaken and disorient the pirates before whacking them. Hooray for our side!

A perfect Easter present for the family. And all of us.

[clarice]

I read that one pirate went aboard the Bainbridge to negotiate, the capt used that opportunity to jump into the water again. Other pirates started shooting at him and Seals took them out. Now, if so, that Capt had a very good take on the ball-less guy in the WH.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Yup, Phillips was released. Nope, wasn't a James Bond operation. They waited until the boat was close to shore, and when it looked like there was risk al Qaeda was trying to get involved. (So now the risk of Phillips getting on shore in inflexible hands was higher.) There was apparently some distraction, and Philliips went over the side again. They Navy was watching carefully. This time Navy saw him, and this time when he went overboard -- according to Fox -- then the Navy hit them in force while recovering Phillips.

In other words, they didn't move until the risk to Phillips was higher, and when they did, it's wasn't superman SEALs, but a general operation, along with Phillips' own balls the size of grapefruit. Odds on they gave him some hint when they were communicating with him.

[Fresh Air]

Clarice--

hat Capt had a very good take on the ball-less guy in the WH

Excellent observation. If Zero had his way, the pirate would have been sent back with six Chicago-style pizzas, 50 gallons of water and $10 million in one-hundred dollar bills.

[PeterUK]

Matt,
That sounds terribly like Piratephobia.These poor oppressed third world fishermen desperately trying to support their families through private enterprise.Have a heart.

[Gmax]

Any bets on the remaining turd getting a lawyer and access to American courts? I say he gets bail in any blue state of his choosing ( sorry Jane buy a weapon ).

[PaulL]

Obama sure was incredibly stupid not to parlay this to his political advantage. He get negative credit in the whole affair.

Axelrod will probably say that Zero was busy behind the scenes giving last minute advice to the SEALs, but no one will buy it.

[Captain Hate]

Now, if so, that Capt had a very good take on the ball-less guy in the WH.

Bingo; any attempt to give the WH gelding credit for this is badly misplaced.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I read that one pirate went aboard the Bainbridge to negotiate, the capt used that opportunity to jump into the water again.

There's my distraction, and also meant the Bainbridge was much closer than 300 yards.

[clarice]

Apparently the talks broke down because the pirates refused to agree to be arrested and tried. HEH.

They picked the best alternative for us all.

(Imagine having to listen to a Johnny Cochrane type defense of Somalian piracy in D.C. )

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Now what happened to my italics, dammit?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

C'mon, folks, we don't have *any* evidence that the Obama Administration had *anything* to do with this, one way or the other.

Obama is doing plenty of stupid shit, but we've just gone through eight years of Bush derangement. MUST we do Obama derangement now?

[PaulL]

You won't give up, will you, Charlie, with your negativity toward the SEALs. They could have done it the way discussed last night, but this way was neater.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I do think some Q ships would be a good idea.

[Captain Hate]

Imagine having to listen to a Johnny Cochrane type defense of Somalian piracy in D.C.

If no shots were fired,
the charges are retired..

Or some such sub-doggerel

[Captain Hate]

Ok who broke the italics dammit?!?!?

[Captain Hate]

At first the italics weren't in my 2:16 comment and now they are; strange. The typhus is mutating!! Halp!!

[PeterUK]

The fact that the rerscue team(s) could act so rapidly when there was a distraction ,indicates that there was,a contingency plan or plans.
Why storm the lifeboat when an explosive charge could be attached,if an when the Captain left the boat.

[clarice]

Well, Charlie the only reports of the negotiations are that we insisted the pirates turn themselves into our cutody and agreed to be tried. I'd have liked to hear something like release the captain now or you and your families, allies and friends will regret it for the rest of your now extremely shortened lives...or words to that effect...HEH

[Charlie (Colorado)]

You won't give up, will you, Charlie, with your negativity toward the SEALs. They could have done it the way discussed last night, but this way was neater.

NO, you moron. I was making the point that the SEALs had more sense than to do something STUPID. I wasn't saying that the SEALs were incapable of doing something, I was saying that they shouldn't -- and any good officer wouldn't -- risk a SEAL team on some harebrained swimming expedition.

Have you people gone completely out of your freaking minds?

[Elliott]

Odds on they gave him some hint when they were communicating with him.

When were they in communication with the captain?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

When were they in communication with the captain?

According to Fox again, they had a daily satphone communication to confirm he was still okay.

[clarice]

They obviously wrote it in morse code on the graham crackers they sent over,elliott.

[Jane]

( sorry Jane buy a weapon ).

Since we can't figure out where the island is, Caro and I have been discussing which state should secede that we can all move to.

Alaska and Utah are under consideration. Altho something warm may be in order.

[PaulL]

Charlie,

I know you are more concerned with gays in the military being allowed to marry, but at least you could do a little research on what SEALs are capable of doing, any day of the week.