Save It For The Funny Papers, Or, The Long Slow Flip-Flop Into Light

John Kerry gets guest space in the NY Times on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend - geez, I guess whatever it is couldn't wait until the day after Thanksgiving.

Kerry is exhorting the world to rally itself into a grand coalition to battle ISIS, or ISIL, or whatever. Maybe agreeing on a name would be a useful first step for this coalition.

Kerry's message of fear is totally at odds with Obama's message of numb complacency; per the Times, Obama is telling donors we are "pretty safe", and these mixed messages have the WaPo alarmed. But it is Kerry's conclusion that leaves us laughing:

Coalition building is hard work, but it is the best way to tackle a common enemy. When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, the first President George Bush and Secretary of State James A. Baker III did not act alone or in haste. They methodically assembled a coalition of countries whose concerted action brought a quick victory.

Extremists are defeated only when responsible nations and their peoples unite to oppose them.

I know you remember that Kerry voted in favor of the 2003 Iraq attack by Bush 43 because he spent the whole 2004 campaign repudiating it. And he voted for the war in 2003 because he voted against it in 1991!

Say it with me - he was against the Bush 41 coalition before he was for it.

As to the notion that the world stage today has counterparts to Bush, Baker and Thatcher - we wish it were so.

BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE (WHICH IS ALSO THE DARK SIDE): Nixon went to China, so maybe Obama and Kerry are especially well-positioned to put together a coalition of warrior-nations. Maybe! But who will join a coalition formed by Red Line Barry and Johnny Waffles when six months later they will be leading the protests against it?

Comments

[GMax]

Fundamental transformation? Via the Charleston paper:

Obama lost every West Virginia county in the 2012 presidential election and remains unpopular, according to the West Virginia Poll. He garnered a 25 percent approval rating, with a 63 percent disapproval rating and 12 percent saying they weren’t sure.

The West Virginia Poll also shows 41 percent of those polled favor a West Virginia Legislature controlled by Republicans, compared to 39 percent favoring a Democrat-led Legislature. Democrats have controlled the state House of Delegates for more than 80 years, but Republicans picked up 11 seats last election and are confident they can win the majority this year.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin saw the biggest drop of any state politician from last year. His approval rating fell from 51 percent in the 2013 West Virginia Poll to 40 percent in the current poll.

[Comanche Voter]

Poor Old Lurch didn't get the memo from The Bamster that things are just hunky dory. There's always some moron who can't read.

[Jeff Dobbs]

TM:
the Saturday of Labor Day weekend

Well would you look at the calendar.........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOTT!!!

[George]

"Nuanced means you never have to say you're sorry." Secretary of State Ali McGraw in LOve Story

[narciso]

well considering he was wrong during the Cold War, it isn't a surprise,

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/29/how-obama-s-shallow-worldview-failed-us.html

[narciso]

Happy birthday, Elliot.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Our enemies and allies figured out rather quickly that Obama is delusional and feckless. The party in power which he represents is greedy, politically schizophrenic and Geo-historically ignorant. Why should anyone trust the USA on this day in history?

[Centralcal on iPad]

Happy birthday to you, Elliott.

[Centralcal on iPad]

Iowahawk tweet:

@iowahawkblog: Kerry 2003: Bush formed "a coalition of the bribed, the coerced, the bought, and the extorted."
Kerry today: we need a Iraq coalition.

[Rick B]

Happy Birthday, Elliott!

______________________
When can we presume John Kerry to have failed the global test? Will a 'get bent' vote by the British Parliament, such as Obama received, be the hurdle or will total apathy in a EUtopia focused on hiding from the Bear be sufficient?

[BR]

Just amazing, cc. They're totally dyscoordinated.

[Gringo]

I don't have the links to support my memory, but IIRC, The New Republic, shortly after the Gulf War I ceasefire, ran a piece about a letter that a member of Kerry's staff had written to a constituent, where the staff member had stated that Kerry had supported Gulf War I. Kerry, of course, had voted against it. Easy to support a successful conclusion after the fact.

[Ignatz]

Why would JeffinK, facing a big problem in Iraq made up in no small part of Sunni Baathists, go back to Kuwait 1990 for an example of a coalition rather than Iraq 2003?

It couldn't possibly be petty politics, especially since Milton the Monster was whipped in 2004 by the guy who built the 2003 coalition, so what could it be?

[Beasts of England]

Happy Birthday, Elliott!

[clarice]

Happy Birthday, elliott!!

Gosh, I suppose it's a good thing for Kerry that he is so self-unaware or we'd have a messy suicide on Foggy Bottom

[NKONIPAD]

Tom was instylaunched with this.

Georgea and CC hysterical stuff.

[Stephanie so OT Im on Kindle Fire]

American style Football in Ireland and they send out the grounds crew with pitchforks to replace the divots on the pitch.

Football or polo?

I'd say watch out for the steaming divots, but Obama and Kerry aren't there.

[Stephanie so OT Im on Kindle Fire]

Happy birthday, Eliott!

[Ignatz]

EPA intends to regulate dry ditches and stock tanks as "navigable waters".
Perfectly reasonable.

[Ignatz]

HB, Elliott.

May you never share a course with Barry unless it's to go hoarse just as you're shouting "fore".

[Stephanie so OT Im on Kindle Fire]

The iowahawk tweet:

Bush formed "a coalition of the bribed, the coerced, the bought, and the extorted."
Kerry today: we need a Iraq coalition.

Just awesome. Call em criminals and tools then go asshat in hand and beg them to join you.

[rse]

Happy birthday elliott.

Steph-hubby did a breakfast cfa run to the cfa in sandy springs and said it was literally a mob scene.

May be a good day to just read.

[Donald]

I was there RSE!

[Rick B]

Who is going to sign up for a cruise on the USS Feckless when Captain Obama has announced that there is no destination? We can all admire his steady hand on the putter but the current situation in Libya or anywhere else where the sun was shining in the Arab Spring raises considerable doubt as to the advisability of joining him for even a three hour cruise.

[glasater]

Happy Birthday Day to you Elliott! ♪♫

[Ignatz]

I note a recent Acura commercial utilizing the late Sid Vicious's version of "My Way" using the only stanza which can be put on the public airwaves.

Hope the PC crowd doesn't catch on.

[Stephanie so OT Im on Kindle Fire]

Read? There's no reading on football Saturday.

Just kidding. The daughter wanted to go watch the Dragon con parade. One stink eye from me and she dropped it. Friend of hers called her this morning and said they couldn't get close to Brookhaven station to get a parking space and came home. Mom vindication.

[narciso]

JiB, wanted to know who was the useful idiots who encourages Zaphod, well Peter Baker, named two, George Kelletis, of the Libra group, and
UBS Bankster Wolf, or maybe it was Mark 'Tiger
Beat' Landler, the slobbering is all too similar

[DrJ]

Happy Birthday, Elliott!

[rse]

Steph-luckily I can walk to the Medical Ctr station if I was so inclined.

Donald-tall guy with an "I cannot believe to do this for one of my kids" look to ordering hash browns.

Interesting fact Steph. there are now sidewalks running along Peachtree Dunwoody all the way from the hospital area to P'tree Road. Really can walk all the way to Perimeter if you appreciate that new bridge over 285 and how everything connects.

[Ann]

JOM ♥

[Ben]

Two other 'usual suspects' in the Grey Gelding.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/30/opinion/john-mccain-and-lindsey-graham-confront-isis.html?_r=0

{Bomb, bomb bomb. Bomb, bomb Iran}

[Jane on Ipad]

Happy Birthday Elliott!

[Threadkiller]

Happy Birthday Elliott!

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

Love that double diamond design, rse. They put one in at Pleasant Hill and it made a big difference.

Walk? I knoweth not without a treadmill and a tv. Why would anyone walk to actually get somewhere??? ;)

Besides, with the insane drivers ITP, I wouldn't feel safe on the sidewalks.

[Ignatz]

I see this thread is highlighted (highlit?) over at Memorandum in the left sidebar.

Pod people to ensue?

[narciso]

But they are focused on the real issues:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/08/united-nations-urges-us-to-halt-excessive-use-of-force-after-ferguson-shooting/

[narciso]

Strigoi with stinger, in 3,2,1, there will be another season of the Strain btw. it will consist of the search for the Occido Lumen, and
the countdown to apocalypse, in that order

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2014/08/29/government-publishes-detailed-instructions-on-how-to-safely-roast-marshmallows/

They can't even get people to educate themselves about all the freebies the gov is giving away, but they think these self same ignoramuses are going to investigate how to roast marshmallows?

Love the suggestions from Mooooo's healthy foods initiative for substituting fruit for chocolate in smores :eyeroll:, but angel food cake and marshmallow creme? Nucking Futs.

[NKONIPAD]

The contrast between Obummers all is well talk to the rich marks paying their crony dues, and the panicky statements by Lurch and Holder seems to establish that Jef is totally out of it. Does he bring 3 steel balls to meetings?

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

Alternate headline alert:

White devils in the media reaping the profits from the black man's toils.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/08/wapo-ferguson-isnt-about-black-rage-against-cops-its-about-white-rage/

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

Anyone think Michigan is gonna take Appalachian State lightly today?

[Ignatz]

--Does he bring 3 steel balls to meetings?--

Nah, just two little pink strawberries.

[Danube on iPad]

How 'bout them Mids?

Happy birthday, Elliott.

[Beasts of England]

If our benevolent federal gubmint won't teach us how to safely roast marshmallows, who will? Embrace the centralized love!

[lyle]

Sly one, Ig.

[maryrose]

Happy Birthday Elliott!
We get Bama football today, Notre Dame on NBC and Florida State. Lots of great football and for once we Clevelanders are not dreading the start of the NFL season.

[Beasts of England]

For some reason I thought about our Steph when I got this Kickstarter request!! Woot!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryangrepper/coolest-cooler-21st-century-cooler-thats-actually/description

[Ignatz]

What happens when you cross marshmallow roasting with a federal bureaucracy;

[Danube on iPad]

What's the game in Ireland?

[Beasts of England]

Don't give away their secret plan, Ig! ;)

[lyle]

Penn St and Central Fla, DoT.

[Ignatz]

That cooler is pretty cool, Beasts.
Are you an investor and did I see that total pledged correctly?

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

Isn't that cooler awesome? It would be great for the boat (if we hadn't sold it). You shoud add it to yours.

Don't need it for the new backyard as we added a fridge and a blender to the outside kitchen. Next purchase is a portable ice maker.

We bought some bluetooth speakers, and we're adding a tv to the patio as soon as I recharge the remodel $$.

I'm eyeing a popcorn machine, too.

[Danube on iPad]

At the half: Navy 7' Ohio State 6.

[lyle]

Go Mids!

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

If you like your terror free city, you can keep your terror free city.

- things Obama kinda said

[DrJ]

Michigan 35, Appalachian State 0 at the half. It doesn't look to be a repeat of 2007.

[Beasts of England]

The older Beastette is in on the deal, Ig. Biggest Kickstarter to date. I'm a huge fan of crowd-surfed capitalism. I can't think of a better way to introduce the thrill of start-ups to the masses.

Dang, Steph! Not sure if I can make it to the Peach State in time for the game, but I like the sound of your set-up!!

Go Mids!

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

Georgia Southern is beating NC State..

Majored in partying at GSU. Aced the curriculum and still flunked out. How does that happen? ;)

[Jim Eagle]

Happy Birthday Elliot (TCFAROG).

Can Navy hold on? It would be great if they could but that kicking game is letting them down,

Penn State beat UCF by 2 at Croke Park in Dublin, I went to the ND v. Navy game there in 1996. The GAA won't let soccer or rugby play at Croke (not Irish) but they do let American football.

They used to play the first two classics at Landsdowne Stadium where the National soccer and riugby teams play.

[Ben]

I blame Rick Perry..”Houston, we have a problem”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/28/disputed-kurdish-oil-tank_n_5733246.html

HOUSTON, Aug 28 (Reuters) – A tanker near Texas loaded with $100 million of disputed Iraqi Kurdish crude has disappeared from satellite tracking, the latest development in a high stakes game of cat-and-mouse between Baghdad and the Kurds.

The AIS ship tracking system used by the U.S. Coast Guard and Reuters on Thursday showed no known position for the United Kalavrvta, which was carrying 1 million barrels of crude and 95 percent full when it went dark..

[narciso]

So did I read it right, Muschamp lost every game last season, and they still brought him back?

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

It's getting there, beasts. Unfortunately,my pockets aren't as deep as my wish list. :(

[DrJ]

I'm a huge fan of crowd-surfed capitalism.

Sadly there are not many states that allow crowdsourcing for equity. California certainly is not one of them. Gotta keep those lawyers employed.

[Exasperated]

"I'm eyeing a popcorn machine, too."

I'm sure that you are. A bigger ice cream machine, too.

[lyle]

Fla wasn't winless last year, narc. 4-8?

[maryrose]

Steph: Your backyard sounds like heaven. Any clambakes or pig roasts in the offing?

[Beasts of England]

It's a non-equity deal, DrJ. I use capitalism in a broader sense of chipping in to bring a product to market. Participants get something in return - in this case, depending on the level involved, a cooler. What it does, in my opinion, is to let 'investors' review a proposal, keep tabs on progress and pitfalls, and see results. I think it's a springboard to larger scale, legitimate investing, although most folks will never be qualified investors, per IRS definition...

[Jim Eagle]

narc,

And I can't see them improving on that record either (sigh).

Driskel is a B level QB and the OL is green. Their D is noteworthy.

Biggest problem is Mushcamp who is out of his league and Foley's failed science project.

[Beasts of England]

0-8 versus the SEC, narciso.

[narciso]

OT, for no particular reason:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/karen-danczuk-beats-louise-mensch-4098026

[Truthbetold]

Patrick Fitzgerald warned Blagojevich about wiretap!

http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2014/08/27/patrick-fitzgerald-warned-blagojevich-wiretap/

[DrJ]

Beasts,

I didn't mean to imply that crowdsourcing is not capitalism. Certainly it is. Sadly the way the SEC (not the football conference!) sets things up usually you can get a discount on a product that will be delivered down the road. That's fine.

It does limit crowdsourcing to small things, though. There's no way that I could raise any capital through this method, for example. And that's a shame.

[Ignatz]

Anne and TBT.
Time to toddle.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Next Feature: The Seven Plagues?

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2014/08/29/thats-some-jayvee-team-mr-president-isis/

And FOX just reported King Abdullah warns the West to speed up their response to those pesky terrorists Obama pretends will stay 'local' - ISIS could reach Europe in a month; the U.S. in two.

[Beasts of England]

I hope that ABC is smart enough to run a feature on Kiffen's smokin' hawt wife, 'cause I know she's gonna be wearing a slinky little crimson dress and some stripper-licious stiletto heels. Whew!!

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

Working toward a big shindig but not quite there yet.

Still gotta finish the deck expansion. It's going from 10x16 to 14x16. The new patio is 13x13 and done. We added a bar to the patio and installed the kitchen under that. I picked up the lumber for the deck this morning.

I can't find an outdoor cocktail table I like, so I'm using some leftover plywood and backerboard and tiling one in the size and style I want.

We're thinking about having a low country boil/football party in late September.

All are welcome, of course. :)

[Beasts of England]

Gotcha, DrJ. The non-football SEC is a blessing and a curse. I wish you were able to crowd-fund equity deals. Certainly the advent of the Internet lends a great conduit to facilitating such. All things considered, I'd have to come down on the side of unbridled capitalism, but they haven't asked for my opinion! ;)

[Danube on iPad]

Early 4th: Ohio State 20, Navy 17.

Navy has missed a 36 yard field goal and given up a 61-yard fumble return TD. They have rushed for 360 yards.

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

I've been wondering how that crowd sourcing works. I've got an idea for a product and have done specs to build it but have no idea how to get to the next step ie manufacturing to get it to market. I'll need a patent for it, too. It's not an expensive item and targets women age 35ish and up so the market is big.

Is there a 411 number for "manufacturing to specs r us?"

[maryrose]

Steph: What is a low country boil?

[daddy]

Your Morning Anthropology Question:

Stories are up around the web of the discovery of a distinct Native American population of Paleo-Eskimo's, that apparently survived for about 4,000 years, but suddenly about 700 years ago abruptly died off within a very short time and ceased existing. Genes show mysterious ‘paleoEskimos’ survived 4,000 years until sudden demise

The stories tell us they were largely pacifist, were gatherers rather than hunters, and their isolated population had apparently been pushed across the top or North America to their final location in the northern territory of Greenland.

New genetic research on ancient bones reveals that a prehistoric population of hunters migrated into the high Arctic of North America and Greenland and survived for 4,000 years in almost complete isolation from the rest of humanity. Then, about 700 years ago, they vanished — either victims of genocide or simply out-competed by a new population of hunters with more advanced technology, the research indicates.

This is the tale of the Dorset culture.

My simple question: Would examination of the bones of these dead paleo-Indians show if they were wiped out by the Great Plague?

I ask because last week we were talking about Barbara Tuchman's excellent book A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century. That book tells us that the Black Death (the Great Plague) between 1347 and 1353, killed 1 third of the population of Europe and I specifically remember it saying that it basically eliminated the European population on the East coast of Greenland.

This link for instance The Role of Trade in Transmitting the Black Death tells us:

Plague deaths reached to between 45 and 55% of the population in Scandinavia. Yet even more grim is the transmission from Scandinavia to the Nordic settlements in Greenland. Greenland imported many of it supplies. Plague moved along the trade routes to Iceland, where it killed 60% of the populace, and then onto Greenland, reaching there probably in the winter of 1350. It annihilated the small population there. Chronicles tell of traders arriving in Greenland only to find villages deserted, with only the cattle roaming wild in them (16).

The date fits, (700 years ago) the pathogen fits, and I doubt a more vulnerable and isolated population could have been found on the planet at the time.

[DrJ]

Stephanie,

There are many, many places who will make most anything for you. "Outsourcing" is all the rage, and manufacturing is a very common one to do. I could help you with the Chemical/Biological facilities, but I suspect that won't help you. :)

I'll caution you that patents can get very expensive if you want world-wide coverage. For the US and Canada only (for example), it is not too bad.

Is it possible to hand-make (or use a local machine shop) to make the first few of your product?

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

Low country boil is similar to a crawfish boil except you use shrimp instead of crawfish. It's not crawfish season in the fall.

Shrimp
Sausage
Corn on cob
Potatoes

Toss into a big pot with seasonings and done. Drain and pour onto paper covered table and dig in. Penalties for use of utensils to eat.

I usually make gumbo, too and wings. Gotta have wings.

[Stephanie a proud athletic supporter...wut?]

It's possible, DrJ. I can bastardize an existing product and modify it to get a prototype but then the existing product's patents would be an issue. I need extruded plastic parts and machine ground glass and metal fastenings. Not difficult.

The extruded plastic might have some availability already as I'm taking an existing product and modifying it for a specialty use.

[narciso]

It's distressing reading Roger Crowley's tale of Venice, how the Plague came as a consequence of a siege of Genoa colonies in the Crimea,

[Beasts of England]

@Steph: Don't be trying to crowd-fund your latest sex toy idea on JOM! ;)

[daddy]

Steph: What is a low country boil?...

Low country boil is similar to a crawfish boil

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, since I haven't started catch-up, but "Low Country" brought to mind blind Doc Watson's excellent instrumental rendition of an old Fiddle Tune Billy In The Lowground

My college roommate used to play this but he had to concentrate and work so hard trying to play it quick and clean that drool would start falling from his contorted mouth:)

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

Don't be trying to crowd-fund your latest sex toy idea on JOM! ;)

With ground glass??? egads. I have NO plans to appear on SEX SENT ME TO THE ER...

In looking around the net, I find that someone has done my idea. Why I can't find them in the local store is their problem.

Do it right with the right marketing and buy em out.

Defeated? not on your life.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Beasts:
@Steph: Don't be trying to crowd-fund your latest sex toy idea on JOM! ;)

I just assumed it was a product to help with being on the floor getting laid. Or the tile. Or the bricks.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Steph:
I have NO plans to appear on SEX SENT ME TO THE ER...

Something something the best laid plans something something

[Pagar a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

Crawfish boil!s are great!

http://www.2kmusic.com/en/webvideo/johnfogerty/GrLqN2PSHmI/john-fogerty-my-tut-tut

[Beasts of England]

Sex sent me to the ER? Well, a couple broken bones in my feet, but nothing that's sent me to the ER. Yet...

But if my Tide gives up a few more drives like that one, then the ER could be in my future for a blood pressure issue! Ugh.

[daddy]

If you've been following this story via Instapundit:

PERRY DE HAVILLAND: “I have never… ever… heard a person of Pakistani or Arab origins called ‘Asian’ in the UK other than in the mainstream media. Never. Not even once. It is a measure of how disconnected the media is from the society it ‘serves’. Come to think of it, that was precisely why I started blogging in November 2001,”

and the follow-on:

Politically correct evasiveness fails on its own terms,

you get a pretty good view that the Brit public, regardless of whether they read the Liberal Brit papers or the Conservative Brit papers, are fed up with the Brit Press's euphemistic bias.

Reading about all those home grown Brit Paki's (Pakistani's) that the Brit's are no longer laughing about, it struck me that according to the Cab Driver story I linked last night 40% of the cab drivers in New York City are from the Islamic countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt, and another 10 percent are from partially Islamic India. A suspicious mind might consider that amount of Muslim cabdrivers in our biggest American City to be of possible use to groups like ISIS, but I'm sure it's only "social media" ratcheting up my concerns.

[Beasts of England]

It'll take me a while to get used to Daniel Tosh Lane Kiffen on our sideline in Tide livery. Gotta get out of the habit of yelling 'Lame Kitten' every time I see his mug.

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

Broken boners? Wut? Yeah they had a show with a guy who went to the ER for that.

It's a real show on Discovery that showcases the stupidest people who are willing to share having their most embarrassing problems on TV (with them doing commentary) to get their 15 minutes of fame.

The best part of the show is their commercials. 'honey it's not supposed to bend like that!!!!'

[Ben]

"If you've been following this story via Instapundit:"

Not sure whether racial animosity is the intent, but folks from Persia to japan used to be called 'orientals'.

But you aren't being politically correct, so the point is..?

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

Tweet of the Afternoon!!

Not Bill Walton @NotBillWalton 2m

Michael Sam has been released by the Rams proving that he is equally not good enough to be an NFL player just like the rest of us.

[Jim Eagle]

I was raised on a clambackes every Saturday night at the beach on Little Plains Road. My Dad and Uncle would dig the pit for the fire, while my Mom and Aunt would fill the pots with fresh caught lobsters, littleneck clams, shrimp, mussels, steamers, Corn on the cob, redskin potatoes, lots of herbs and butter. Everthing local and fresh:)

We did 3 when we were back in Southampton this year but at home off the range because of all the BS fire permits you now need in the village.

In the winter we'd do the South Fork version of a Boullibaise with fresh caught Fluke, Flounder or Weakfish. We are not big Oyster country but we could get them at the fish monger and my Dad would make his Oyster Stew with Vodka. First time I ever tasted booze (it actually burned off).

There is nothing like being raised by the sea and that is how I am raising Frederick. Today I took him down to Zwave surf shop in Flagler Beach and bought him a new surf board for his birthday. Its a 6'6" Softtech Tom Carrol Pro. Tomorrow we hit our beach and check it out.