So The Defense Is That The Director Of National Intelligence Is Hopelessly Confused?

Somehow this attempt to reassure me is not having the intended effect:

Obama administration officials were flabbergasted Wednesday when Director of National Intelligence Adm. Dennis Blair testified that an alleged Qaeda operative who tried to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day should have been questioned by a special interrogation unit that doesn't exist, rather than the FBI.

DNI Blair referred to a high value interrogation team that is apparently still on the drawing boards.   Is it too much to expect the DNI to know about this?

About an hour after the senior official made those remarks to Declassified, Blair issued this statement [link]: "My remarks today before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs have been misconstrued. The FBI interrogated Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab when they took him into custody. They received important intelligence at that time, drawing on the FBI's expertise in interrogation that will be available in the HIG [High-Value Interrogation Group] once it is fully operational."

More pushback:

But officials who have worked on the issue said Blair was wrong on almost every count. Abdulmutallab couldn't possibly have been questioned by the HIG because the unit doesn't exist yet. The task force had recommended it be created to handle the questioning of "high value"  Qaeda leaders who might be captured overseas—a criterion that clearly doesn't apply in Abdulmutallab's case. But the proposal is still being reviewed by the National Security Council, and the actual unit has not yet been created. 

Tick, tick, tick - any day now, gents.

An official in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that Blair "fully understand" that work on the HIG "has not been completed" when he gave his initial testimony. The official said officials are now working on the charter for the HIG--a document that will call for teams of intel experts and interrogators known as Mobile Interrogation Teams (or MITs) that will be dispatched when a top suspect is apprehended. When he responded to Collins, Blair was "talking about what should be included in the charter."

Stephen Hayes at The Weeklys Standard has more.  Andy McCarthy quotes this from Sen. Jeff Sessions:

In his testimony today, Mr. Blair stated that the administration failed to deploy the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group that was put in place for this very purpose [Or will be, maybe after we close Gitmo]Ooops]. We learned that the administration had no policy in place to determine whether Abdulmutallab would be treated as a civilian or as an unprivileged belligerent-that, in effect, these decisions were made "on the fly" without any meaningful consideration of the consequences. And we learned from FBI Director Mueller's questioning that responsibility for the decision to switch gears from intelligence collection to criminal processing lies with an unnamed high-ranking official at the Department of Justice.

So who is the unnamed DoJ official?

Comments

[Ignatz]

Somebody commented here a day or two ago that we're being protected by the Keystone Cops.
We should be so lucky.

[clarice]

I'd bet that the Commitee knows exactly who that person is..and that's why per York they've asked Holder to appear with any protocols his dept has on such matters.

[anduril]

Whoever said that doesn't get it at all--nothing new among JOMers. There's a big difference between incompetence and ideological fanaticism.

[Neo]

Fools and idiots .. Jimmy Jr. is surrounded by fools and idiots, much like himself.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

As a theory, it does have the advantage that it at least has some connection to reality.

More to the point, though, is that the DNI is a mushroom. The operating agencies, esp. FBI and CIA, are working to keep the DNI in the dark, and only feed him whatever bullshit their Directors think is politically advantageous to them.

[Ignatz]

--Whoever said that doesn't get it at all--nothing new among JOMers. There's a big difference between incompetence and ideological fanaticism.--

The DNI not knowing that an interrogation unit he advocates using doesn't even exist would seem on its face to fall closer to incompetence than fanaticism.
Surely someone qualified to edumakate even the drooling JOM dullards can understand that.

[Sue]

switch gears from intelligence collection to criminal processing lies with an unnamed high-ranking official at the Department of Justice

Really? We don't know who this unnamed high-ranking official at the DoJ is?

[Sue]

Abdulmutallab couldn't possibly have been questioned by the HIG because the unit doesn't exist yet.

I have this vision of someone slipping a badge with the initials "HIG" on it to the guards and interrogating the suspect. After he leaves, everyone says "who was that masked man"? Sheesh.

[daddy]

Well what we've learned between reading TM's last 3 posts is that the National Enquirer is more informative, trustworthy and tuned into reality than anybody in the State Department, the DOJ, the MSM, or the Administration.

It's almost like that scene in Men In Black where Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith look at the tabloids to find out what's really going on on planet Earth.

[Mike Myers]

Several things come to mind: several somebodies are lying; several somebodies are incompetent at what they do; my old drill sergeant would have correctly characterized the Obama administration and its various minions as "a clusterf@#k".

Don't want to be accused of being racist, but I wouldn't trust most of these guys to shine my shoes. [Or the current Congress to hold the rag.]

[Mike Huggins]

OT - this is about Quantanamo, but, at least to me, it symbolizes the cluelessness of the left with regard to jihadis (I got this off today's Poynter's Romenseko): Gitmo reporter: Photos of detainees "take the men out of the cage" Argghhh!!!!

I have to assume that these are eyes that will never focus anywhere near a copy of Andrew McCarthy's "Willful Blindness."

[clarice]

Maybe Carol Rosenberg could arrange a little time alone in the cells with these guys and then report back to us.

[clarice]

We're lucky here , I guess, that so many who find themselves our moral and intellectual superiors nevertheless continue to stick around, aren't we?

[anduril]

Ignatz, you're so stupid. TM gets it, per his comment:

More pushback:

But officials who have worked on the issue said Blair was wrong on almost every count. Abdulmutallab couldn't possibly have been questioned by the HIG because the unit doesn't exist yet. The task force had recommended it be created to handle the questioning of "high value" Qaeda leaders who might be captured overseas—a criterion that clearly doesn't apply in Abdulmutallab's case. But the proposal is still being reviewed by the National Security Council, and the actual unit has not yet been created.

Tick, tick, tick - any day now, gents.

The Administration is where the problem lies, since the Administration--which is to say, the upper reaches of it in the WH--decided to change policy in a crucial area of national security that could impact American lives at a moment's notice. THEREFORE, it's up to them to implement that crucial new policy without delay. That the new policy has yet to be implemented is not due to incompetence but to the ideological intransigence of this Administration. It's essential that the American people understand that they're dealing not with an Administration that could somehow be fixed by the substraction of a few incompetents but rather with an Administration that is willing to jeopardize American lives and security based on their fanatical devotion to extreme left wing ideology.

Thus, TM's very appropriate comment.

[anduril]

We're lucky here , I guess, that so many who find themselves are demonstrably our moral and intellectual superiors nevertheless continue to stick around, aren't we?

I can only speak for myself. I've never claimed moral superiority, although there is a moral element to the determination to face up to truth. In fact that moral element is often more important than mere intellectual ability--as I had occasion to comment not long ago with regard to VDH's criticism of "elite" universities.

Bottom line: yes, you're very lucky.

[Sir Toby Belch]

Never has such blatant incompetence on all
levels been demonstrated by an administration since Mr. Peanut blew in
from Plains, Georgia.

[boreys]

The HIG is a bunch of cute nurses and a psychiatrist. A little gas in the air, then the shot. All you remember is the cute nurses. This should clear all the contracting doctors who went overseas to help.

[Appalled]

andruil:

Actually, its the ideological intransigence that drives the incompetence. Obama desires to deemphasize the war on man made disasters. Accordingly, he spends less time thinking about it, is more amenable to appointing people who may or may not be good at their jobs, and allow people like Holder to dominate those less important people.

Thus -- we see incompetence. And also ideology at work. The incompetence is not deliberate -- but it still the result of ideology. So, I think you and Ignatz mange to both be right. Obama's people have been stupid, because he did not make it a high priority for them to be either smart or influential. Duh!

This isn't a new insight, by the way. The left blogosphere certainly used it to explain old "Heck of a Job Briownie", and they were probably right to do so.

[Ignatz]

--Ignatz, you're so stupid.--

All this Conan/Leno stuff must have you missing Carson.

How stupid am I?

--That the new policy has yet to be implemented is not due to incompetence but to the ideological intransigence of this Administration.--

Who said it wasn't? I said the fact that the DNI didn't know that this interrogation team doesn't even exist was. That is the Keystone Cop aspect of this that I first commented on and which you then as usual misinterpreted.
Thus your very inappropriate comments.

[Cecil Turner]

Thus -- we see incompetence. And also ideology at work.

It's not like they're mutually exclusive.

[clarice]

Go together like a horse and carriage, Cecil.

[anduril]

Appalled, while you have a point, I still believe that in dealing with this Administration you should always presume that ideology is at work. Of course incompetence may be a factor--as well as character or moral failings: hubris, vanity, arrogance being the prevalent failings in this Administration. Take HC, for example. One might argue that it was incompetent to try to force HC through against the will of the American people. But there are numerous indications that as a matter of fundamental leftist ideology the top players in this Administration REALLY BELIEVE that if they could just get HC passed into law the American people would quickly learn to love National Health. These are not stupid people, so I think you're always wise to look to ideology first in explaining their actions--keep Alinsky's little book handy.

By the same token, you might dispute my characterization of Ignatz as "stupid," preferring to focus on his immaturity in stalking me around the forum and attempting to achieve petty, niggling triumphs. I won't argue with you about that.

[Mike Huggins]

I think Clarice put it best on the AT Blog: "I don't see how Holder can avoid being severely damaged in this inquiry. Either he had no protocol in place in which case he was an exceedingly negligent executive or he did have one and it permitted the terrorist to be treated as a criminal, depriving us of potentially important national security information for some lamebrained notion of international justice, a notion not contained in an treaty nor warranted by common sense."

[narciso]

The incompetence is seen in his lack of experience or notable accomplishments, A McGovern who was a fellow academic, might have
been effective enough to let this go through

[Dave (in MA)]

OT:

Kaput.
HA HA.
Good riddance.

[anduril]

For connoisseurs of ideological overreach and incompetence, Best of the Web has a nice comparison of Bush's second term to Obama's first. Taranto also has this amusing item:

'I Wish I Knew How to Quit You'

"If Democrats waste this majority, and have nothing to show for it but bailouts of the biggest banks, auto companies and insurers, they deserve to be returned to minority status in the fall. Who are they governing for? They can cowboy up, pass health care that helps right the major wrongs of the system, and then explain what they're doing."--Timothy Egan, New York Times Web site, Jan. 20

I presume the caption is his own addition, by which he hints that the phrase "cowboy up" has a different connotation to the liberal mind than to the conservative mind.

[DebinNC]

Thank goodness the Senate Homeland Security Committee is headed by Lieberman, not some Obama toady like Leahy. If Reid could replace Lieberman without all heck breaking loose, I'd think he would since that committee will likely see a lot of action given the cast of characters Obama appointed.

[Elliott]

OT - this is about Quantanamo,

Is that where Obama's planning to put the investment bankers?

[Andrew_M_Garland]

Obama's administration officials are merely following the example of their leader. Obama has invented an entirely new type of Plausable Deniability.

Obama first used this when commenting on the arrest of Henry Louis Gates by the Cambridge, MA police. Obama said that he didn't have much information about the situation, then gave his views anyway on what happened and what should be done.

Obama gave a speech attacking Scott Brown by saying he didn’t know anything about Scott Brown, then spent 20 minutes attacking him.

Obama and his appointed officials are using a cunning strategy to shield his image, regardless of what he says. In the unlikely event that a reporter questions him closely, Obama can reply (imagined quote) "Don't get all wee wee'd up about this. I was just ignorant of the situation".

[anduril]

And speaking of ideology, FR has this item (I had to paste it from a Reader preview, since FR isn't loading):

CP-USA: Labor and People's Unity and Grass Roots Action Key in 2010

from News/Activism by Communist Party-USA

One year ago standing among the diverse, beautiful million-plus outpouring in the nation's capitol to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the air was filled with both anticipation and worry. Anticipation for a new direction that the labor and people's outpouring, so key to the election result, represented. Worry for the presence of the ultra-right/corporate stronghold on government with three decades of rubble left behind, and their ruthless use of racism and fear to create divisions and maintain control.

The CP-USA's kindred feelings for this Administration should definitely give pause to anyone who doubts the predominance of ideological considerations in its policies...

[bgates]

Is that where Obama's planning to put the investment bankers?

I thought that was JMH's new detention facility.

No, that's "Quasitanamo".

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Eric Holder, they just ran the story on Fox.

[MarkO]

Never heard a real cowboy say "cowboy up."

Well, except that one time in Carson City.

[clarice]

Heh, Chaco--I figured the committee knew that when they started down this path.

[anduril]

Well, except that one time in Carson City.

Hmmmm.

[Mike Huggins]

Thank goodness the Senate Homeland Security Committee is headed by Lieberman, not some Obama toady like Leahy.

Oh man, that is a scary thought, DebinNC

[Pesky Contributor]

OT, per NRO (LUN):

"Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, tells National Review Online that House Democrats are planning to use the budget-reconciliation process in order to pass Obamacare. “They’re meeting with each other this weekend to pursue it,” says Ryan. “I’ve spoken with many Democrats and the message is this: They’re not ready to give up. They’ve waited their entire adult lives for this moment and they aren’t ready to let 100,000 pesky votes in Massachusetts get in the way of fulfilling their destiny. They’ll look at every option and spend the next four or five days figuring it out.”"

[clarice]

They do not have the votes to do this. How many imes are they trying that lame bluff?

[Pesky Contributor]

I don't know clarice, but I keep falling for it everytime. I need to do a spine check.

[centralcal]

Hey Pesky, you have the same avatar thingy as me. I posted the the same thing you just did on another thread. Clarice is gonna think I am chasing her around and being, well, pesky.

I am not C, honest.

[Jane]

How many people have to die before Obama's incompetence is an impeachable offense?

On a completely different note: Hasn't this been the best week in politics in a very long time?

[centralcal]

About Holder and the the crotch bomber; Brown was quite emphatic that one of the issues that helped get him elected was the war on terror (or, rather, the seeming lack thereof by these idiots). I am hoping this gets a lot of media attention.

[MikeS]

They’ll look at every option and spend the next four or five days figuring it out.

They could change the name. My suggestion is "Blue Dog Retirement Act."

[centralcal]

Yes, Jane, absolutely. But, it can and must get even better. (I like the sound of impeachable offense.)

[DebinNC]

It can, indeed, get better. Tapper reports Geithner "has concerns" over Obama's new bank rules. ..."Another source in the financial industry says that the Treasury boss fears that political fears may now be overriding economic considerations." Whoa.

[Pesky Contributor]

Yes central, I am not you. But I guess this note doesn't help since I could be you just saying that I am not. Have you been drinking? Maybe I am you.

[matt]

ChaCo;

you might like my latest on the Green scam. The Protocols of the Elders of Scion. heh....

[Danube of Thought]

Didn't somebody at one time have some software that would block this gasbag asshole out? I'll use whatever browser it takes.

[centralcal]

phew - I changed browers and got a different avatar, don't want DoT to think I am a "gassbag."

Pesky, are you Sue?

[centralcal]

Danube: I think you want the Narcisolator. Jane recently installed it and can probably help you with it.

[Danube of Thought]

Thanks, CC. I think Narciso has a lot to contribute, although the language problem. I was referring to that shithead who goes on interminably without uttering a useful sentence.

[Jane]

Yes, Jane, absolutely. But, it can and must get even better.

You know Scott Brown is the first beneficiary of the Tea Party movement, and that is what will keep it going and growing - which is a gentle reminder that the next DC tea Party is April 15th.

[DrJ]

DoT,

The narcisolator has two functions: to clean up the often odd formatting of narciso's posts (cut and pasted from Word, I think), and to allow posts written by a user-selected list of "contributors" not to be displayed. It is the tool you want.

[RichatUF]

Danube of Thought-

It's bgate's Narcisolator.

You'll need to download Firefox and Greasemonkey. This is about as useful as I can be in helping you get it downloaded and working.

[anduril]

DoT, better that you're running scared after your drubbing yesterday than threatening to go Postal.

[Sue]

No, I'm not pesky. Well I might be pesky but I'm not posting as pesky.

[narciso]

Dennis Blair, comes highly recommended by Chris Buckley, back when he was an aide to Vice President Bush, twenty five years ago,
'our very best men are working on the problem'

[anduril]

narciso, more posts like that and even DoT will want to take back his statement that "Narciso has a lot to contribute." The places to be focusing are DoJ and the NSC.

[Danube of Thought]

Sure was a drubbing. You asserted that FedEx and UPS were thriving because the PO was bad. I explained why that was economic baby-talk, and you skulked away.

Among innumerable other traits of the geek, you have a spectacular inability to see yourself as others see you. Were it otherwise, at some point you would consider that, if you had ever once offered a single coherent, original or constructive thought, someone here would have acknowledged it. Alas, one can search in vain for any such acknowledgement.

All the hallmarks of a vainglorious, impossibly tedious fool.

[narciso]

Who runs the NSC, certainly not Jones, but Rhodes and MacDonough. the former has gotten
better at the claptrap, but not the policy.
The DNI first with Negroponte, now Blair has
failed it's coordinating function. I agree with Bolton, that it's time for the NSC to regain institutional perrogatives. DOJ's a mess, mostly because of Holder's ideological
preference, seemingly connected to his firms
pro bono representation of Gitmo detainees

[anduril]

geek? that's a first! your other comments are childish. back to sorting mail you go!

[Jane]

DOT - have I told you lately that I love you?

[centralcal]

Me, too. Jane always gets first dibs (or Clarice). But, Mr. Danube - smooches from your north central neighbor!

[Ann]

Me, three. xxxooo Dot :)

Hey, whats the weather like in CA? I keep hearing about hurricane winds.

[clarice]

"Another source in the financial industry says that the Treasury boss fears that political fears may now be overriding economic considerations." Whoa."

When you've lost your tax cheating Secretary of the Treasury you are really in trouble.

(posting from my delicious new Mac)

[Extraneus]

Christmas Bomb Suspect Handled Correctly, Justice Department Says

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Hey, whats the weather like in CA? I keep hearing about hurricane winds.

Californians are so cute when there's a thunderstorm out there.

[anduril]

There you go, DoT--three skirts to hide behind.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

(posting from my delicious new Mac)

You think you like it now, just wait until you're used to it.

[narciso]

Oh I feel much more reassured, now, just like Ramzi Yousef and Akbar Murad, he's the one who provided the early target list, under the
tender mercies of the Phillipine police, some
how his account never made into either PDB

[clarice]

I love DoT, too and Jane has Mark Seyn. It's so un-fa-ir

[clarice]

sTeyn..MyMac catches spelling errors but doesn't catch them on proper names..LOL

[sbw]

Clarice, so happy for your new machine. Wait until you settle in. The sharp edges of the world smooth out with a Mac.

[DebinNC]

Via Extraneus's Fox link quoting Justice Department spokesman: "The alleged bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, was arrested and interrogated by the FBI before being read his Miranda rights and given access to a lawyer."

I hope Lieberman asks for a timeline of just what happened when. How effective could the interrogation have been if the FBI didn't have the unconnected intel dots that took several days to collect? And how talkative would a man who'd just set his private parts on fire and been pummelled by assorted passengers have been in his brief pre-Miranda time with the FBI?

[centralcal]

Ann: I am pretty much dead center inland, so the storms have a little less impact - a few trees down, some minor flooding of roads. We NEED the water - alas, most of it will end up in the ocean, thanks to environmentalists and stupid legislature.

Congrats on the MAC, Clarice. I so wanna try one, but fear it might be too much to learn.

anduril: you CAN be a nice guy on occasion, I just don't understand why you insist on being a jerk so often.

[Old Lurker]

Hell, I think I love him too for his unique truth telling insights and his remarkable judgement of character.

[daddy]

I ain't smooching DoT but I'd love to shake his hand.

Ok, Since Clarice has a new Mac, lets try out the visuals. Ski">http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100119.html">Ski Mars!

[Sue]

OMG. This fool on Hannity (the democratic strategist) just said Obama is tougher on terrorists than Bush was. They will say anything, I guess.

[Ignatz]

--By the same token, you might dispute my characterization of Ignatz as "stupid," preferring to focus on his immaturity in stalking me around the forum--

In reviewing the thread I see that I made the first post, a relatively innocuous one, and then you made your customary unsolicited, foul tempered inapposite comment about it. But in your mind I'm stalking you.

If the local bijou is in need of a projectionist I suggest you apply for the job.

[Old Lurker]

Explaining perfectly why Hannity is unwatchable, Sue.

[Danube of Thought]

Well, we had fifty-know winds in Coronado yesterday, and something close to that for a short while today. Heavier rain over the course of 3-4 days than I can remember seeing here. A tornado (!) touched down briefly up in Huntington Beach on Tuesday and lifted up and transported an unoccupied SUV.

We're eating it up for the time being. But the weekend is supposed to be sunny.

[anduril]

And how talkative would a man who'd just set his private parts on fire and been pummelled by assorted passengers have been in his brief pre-Miranda time with the FBI?

Posted by: DebinNC | January 21, 2010 at 09:47 PM

Interestingly that's almost word for word what I remarked to my wife at dinner tonight. I think I said something like, he probably had more burning concerns.

[centralcal]

Ignatz: I love you, too!

[daddy]

Clarice,

Here's another gorgeous photo you might want to try in order to check out your Mac optics: ">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8470962.stm"> A beautiful wolf jumping over a fence at nighttime.

It's the winner of the BBC's Wildlife Photo of the Year Award.

Except that they just rescinded the award because the photographer lied and cheated and used a trained wolf in the photo. Golly, who would have thought there could possibly be any sort of fraud whatever amongst caring and compassionate wildlife sorts.

So yes Jane, it's been a great week for politics, but what with the stunning and unexpected revelations that the UN's Melting Glaciers data was phony, that Wildlife Zealots cheat, that John Edwards lied to us, and that Mark McGwire used steroids, I have to say that my joy is somewhat saddened because of my loss of faith in all the things I was so positive were true. Plus I just found out the Pope is Catholic. Did you guys know that?

[centralcal]

Daddy: re: "ski Mars"

There is something disgusting about that photo. Not quite sure what - maybe cuz it looks like a close up of whiskers poking up out of pores in pink, flabby flesh.

[clarice]

about ski Mars..I don't care what story they make up..those are pine trees.

[anduril]

anduril: you CAN be a nice guy on occasion, I just don't understand why you insist on being a jerk so often.

Posted by: centralcal | January 21, 2010 at 09:47 PM

Since you've made this same comment several times, I'll respond this once by saying that I don't respond to comments like this.

[Pofarmer]

Aw, Geez.

From A.J. Strata.
NASA">http://strata-sphere.com/blog/index.php/archives/12516">NASA GISS Admits Current Temps Not Historically Warmer

Yes, Global warming is less than the noise in the numbers.

The admission is found in a tidbit in one email, where GISS admits their standard deviation is 0.47°C (which begs the question about any warming trend measured at 0.8°C). What this means is the years, 1934, 1998, 1921, 2006, 1931, 1999, 1953, 1990, 1938 and 1939 (the top 10 ‘warmest’ years in America) are all statistically the same ‘warmth’. They all fall within the GISSN claimed standard deviation.

[Sue]

Ok, Since Clarice has a new Mac, lets try out the visuals. Ski Mars!

Wow. Awesome picture. The explanation of what I thought were trees is hard to believe for this earthling, but I'll take their word for it.

[Patrick S]

"Since you've made this same comment several times, I'll respond this once by saying that I don't respond to comments like this."

Wait, isn't that a response?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

DOT: My son just shared a bunch of pictures his San Diego friends are posting. Ocean Beach is under water. I imagine Mission Valley is too by this point. Peñasquitos is flooded and my son said I-215 is flooding.

We had rain here this afternoon like I've never seen here. And with the wind, it was driving sheets of rain slamming into the upstairs windows - sideways. And I cannot recall ever having thunder & lightning. I thought I was back in Indianapolis or the Western Mountains of PA.

Our satellite reception was intermittent all afternoon.

I'm glad I don't live on the edge of a canyon right now.

[Sue]

C-cal,

LOL. Now that you've put that image in my mind....

Clarice,

I can't make them look like anything but dead trees. Even following their links.

[Sue]

A couple of funny things in one comment at Reason...

Brown v. Board of Obama|1.20.10 @ 11:30AM|# What I find hilarious is how brief Sen Al Franken's time as the 60th vote was. He wasn't seated until after the fourth of July. He got six months.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Sue-

Think crystal growth, and you'll be closer to the mark.

But the actuality is upside down of that.

Make sense?

Here's a snip. LUN.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Is that six months a description, or a sentence.

Sounds like an ad to me.

[Sue]

Mel,

What is that?

[Sue]

We could make it an ad.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Mandelbrot series. A mathematical depiction of repetitive iterations, which is a way of describing crystal growth.

(Use the zoom)

I'll put up a video tour tomorrow. Cooler than you can imagine.

G'night all.

[Sue]

Cool. I get smarter and smarter hanging out with you guys. Night, Mel.

Night all.

[scott]

"There you go, DoT--three skirts to hide behind."

What is that garbage about, exactly?

(It's a rhetorical question so don't like bother pasting an answer, kay? thx)