One Cheap Shot Deserves Another

David Remnick, another troubled Obama hagiographer, takes on the puzzle of Obama's world-weariness (And believe me, if Obama is weary of the world the feeling is mutual). This raised my ire:

His opponents and would-be successors at home have seized the chance to peashoot from the sidelines. What do they offer? ... Rand Paul, who will likely run for President as a stay-at-home Republican, went to Guatemala recently and performed eye surgeries as a means of displaying his foreign-policy bona fides. Was Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s ophthalmologist-in-chief, impressed?

Har-de-har. Obama is a former community organizer; if he ever finds the energy and talent to fly to one of the world's trouble spots and organize a community I'm sure the world would be thrilled. 

MISSING HIS OWN POINT: Remnick has a defense of Obama's "Don't do stupid shit" which he later rebuts, seemingly unwittingly:

A more punishing critique came from Hillary Clinton, Obama’s former Secretary of State, who, hoping to win herself some distance from an unpopular President, told the journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, “Great nations need organizing principles, and ‘Don’t do stupid stuff’ is not an organizing principle.” Clinton had a point: “Don’t do stupid stuff”—a mantra in the West Wing—does not have quite the analytical penetration of the Long Telegram. Nor does it account adequately for Obama’s thinking on when American force should and should not be used. But the admonition isn’t without value. Think of the “stupid stuff” in the history of American postwar misadventure: Eisenhower backing C.I.A.-led or -abetted regime change in Iran and Congo; Kennedy sanctioning an invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs; Johnson’s colossal escalations and failures in Vietnam; Nixon’s covert efforts to depose Allende in Chile and conduct a war in Cambodia—the beginnings of a list that culminates in George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. To be mindful of such episodes, with all their unintended and far-reaching consequences, does not make one a weak-kneed fool.

Yes, Obama is a conventional lib so we have no doubt he can cite chapter and verse on every American failure ever. But it is hard to find an obvious pattern to these failures other than "Don't do stuff that might and subsequently does fail". Were failures inevitable and obvious to everyone in each of these instances before the fact? Or does the rule mean "Don't do stuff that has a few credible opponents"? (A friend once noted that "Hindsight is always 50-50". Might be right! Or not...)

Or from another direction would the Cuban Missile crisis still be be viewed as a heroic "The Russians blinked" success if the American agreement to withdraw Jupiter missiles from Turkey had not been kept secret?

Eventually Remnick offers his own refutation:

Yet it is a mistake, as well, to dismiss caution as weakness, to react to the medieval executions and depredations of ISIS and the adventurism of Vladimir Putin by mocking the very idea of strategic calculation. In foreign policy, there are sins of commission (Vietnam, Iraq) and there are sins of omission (Bosnia, Rwanda). 

Bosnia and Rwanda would be examples which typify the current pattern of the Obama Administration - "Don't do stupid shit" has become as "Don't do shit".

LEFT UNMENTIONED: One might have thought that the lesson of Iraq was not to overthrow a murderous dictator with no plan and commitment to winning the peace. So how does Remnick explain that failure of "Lessons Learned" with respect to Libya? He doesn't.

I CAN QUIT ANYTIME... From Remnick:

This is not a foreign policy that offers the satisfactions of self-expression; it lacks the snarl and the swagger that Obama’s domestic rivals yearn for. 

Did people think "Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive" lacked swagger? How about the drawing of (erasable) red lines in Syria?

Comments

[Captain Hate]

Translated Remnick: "I believed this fraud and helped him con other people. If I lash out at other people, it will take attention away from what either a duplicitous or clueless dumbass I am".

[GMax]

Really sucks for Democrats went the air goes totally out of the balloon. Look at Double Douchebag who was left with nothing but juvenile name calling when he last screwed up enough courage to force his legs to walk in here. Good news is, folks on Zantac don't march anywhere including polling places. How soon before Bozo is reduced to using all the ink in his famous pen to veto popular legislation which keeps showing up weekly?

[Dave (in MA)]

Surely there's an apartment complex in some 3rd world hellhole that needs to almost have its asbestos removed.

[Ignatz]

I guess Paul should have shanked a few 3 woods to display his FP bona fides.

[narciso]

Some might argue that backing Mobutu over Tsombe was the real problem, AJAX was a relatively costfree operation at the time, the problem as Taheri points out, is the Shah didn't learn the lesson, don't tick off the Bazaaris and the Mullahs at the same time,

Did Remnick's interview with the 'JV' reference happen on a parallel world?

[Rick B]

Seed from this manure pile: Although American interests, tightly conceived, may not be much implicated in Ukraine, Obama has taken the lead in creating a Western bloc that has imposed intensifying sanctions against Putin’s regime. Putin would not be talking about a ceasefire otherwise.

Putin has Sevastopol, the Donbas and control of the gas necessary for Ukrainians to survive the winter. A ceasefire gives Ukraine and the EUnuchs the opportunity to review their cards (with a seven of clubs being the strongest in the hand) prior to capitulation.

You'd have to be from the Northeast and have an Ivy league education not to laugh at this drivel.

[GMax]

Only thing lacking at this point is for Obama to shows us the parallel red lines, that flow from the Russian border to Crimea. Wide enough to drive several tanks through side by side. Not that it will be necessary with Mom Jeans in charge of course...

[narciso]

Well the Cuban missile crisis, is in retrospect
one of 'these cunning plans' Kruschev got the no intervention pledge in Cuba, and there were no missiles in Western Europe, for a generation,
'winning', get some tiger blood,

[Barry Dauphin]

Rand Paul, who will likely run for President as a stay-at-home Republican, went to Guatemala recently and performed eye surgeries as a means of displaying his foreign-policy bona fides. Was Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s ophthalmologist-in-chief, impressed?

Now there's a New Yorker sentence, if there ever was one---so filled with self congratulatory cleverness that Remnick probably wet his pants with excitement. Yet so devoid an actual analytical skills--words are all there are, there's nothing behind the words.

[jimmyk]

Excuse the off topic, but this doesn't seem good, even if expected (big sales tax increase went into effect):

Japan says economy contracted 7.1 percent in 2Q

especially when you have "economists" saying stuff like this:

"Theoretically, there should be no impact from the consumption tax increase on corporate spending or long-term corporate planning, but a large number of Japanese corporations seemed to see a large impact from the hike on final demand," said Junko Nishioka, an economist at RBS Japan Securities in Tokyo.

But no worries, Abe has a big stimulus plan ready to roll.

[NK]

Poll dancing: knock on wood: http://hotair.com/archives/2014/09/08/polling-avalanche-gop-leads-in-eight-races-for-democrat-held-senate-seats/

[Captain Hate]

Rand Paul might not be the greatest person in the world but at least he helped some people by performing eye surgery. Where is anybody whose lives were improved by two snotty cocksuckers like 404 and Remmick?

[Ignatz]

Victor Davis Hanson on the CA drought.
I would still like to see Hetch Hetchy removed, not because dams are a bad thing but because dams in one of a kind natural wonders are a bad thing when there are many miles of perfectly good but unexceptional canyon below it where they could have built the thing.
Besides opposing Hetch Hetchy puts one in the pleasant position of watching SF lefty creeps squirm while they prevent some dam in a brush filled low elevation canyon from being built or an existing one raised so middle class central valley people can have crummy jobs and water to drink while also opposing removing one in a second Yosemite Valley only because it gives them water to drink.

[Pagar a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

Oh No, Politifact?

http://therightscoop.com/boom-politifact-catches-obama-in-a-lie-in-yesterdays-meet-the-press-interview/

Have they ever reported a lie by a Democrat ?

[Ignatz]

Are you sure that economist wasn't being a bit sarcastic, jimmy?

Either way -7.1% is kinda staggering.

[narciso]

yes, he has a solid track record, facepalm with a Ctluthu.

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/69774666-rbs-s-nishioka-interview-on-japan-economy.html

how does the Diem coup, which Moyar points out was the disaster that pretty much derailed any progress not figure,

[narciso]

Actually, no, he is that clueless,

[reliapundit]

The results of Obama's policies and actions/inactions are too consistent and too consistent with long-held postmodern leftist goals to be considered as due to naivete, recklessness, fecklessness, dithering, ineptness, incompetence or hamletian over-inspection for fear of making a mistake.

They are the results of deliberate actions and deliberate inactions aimed at transforming America into a second rate world power and a socialist economy - no different than france.

The golf and the fundraising are sideshows while Obama and his comrades - who long ago, (when Pelosi was unseated as Speaker), realized Congress was no longer able to pass their socialist agenda - by executive fiat.

"CUI BONO" besides the democrat machine at home?

Putin, Iran, China - and islamism in general.

These have always Obama's goals.

He is doing quite well at achieving them.

And Rashid Khalidi and Jeremiah Wright and Louis Farrakhan and Bill Ayers are happy Obama has done as much as he has done. They would like more, but they understand that Obama is "SOMEWHAT" hindered by the Constitution - a hindrance they'd LOVE to see eliminated; in fact, they rather see the Constitution an the GOP eliminated than ISIS.

[Rick B]

NK,

The polling hasn't changed much. The shift from RV to LV just clarifies what has been evident for quite some time. There was a second point in the internals of the Battleground survey which will become very important on election day. Not only are the Lackwitz Sisters so discouraged about the broken promises of BOzocare that they're going to stay home and wash their hair on election day but the males who were tasked with paying the parasite subsidies have decided to show up and make their displeasure known.

[daddy]

I was told that there would be no Shakespeare on this blog. ;)

Posted by: Beasts of England

Romeo:

Amen, amen. But come what sorrow can,
It cannot countervail the exchange of joy
That one short minute gives me in her sight.

[Ignatz]

Wretchard on the likely results of Barry's FP bona fides.

His last sentence has me confused though. He can't possibly mean his [Wretchard's] three necessary and sensible objections will be taken up by Barry can he?
If you wanna know what those suggestions are you'll have to click the link. :)

[Captain Hate]

Have you guys seen this video that's blowing up the internet this morning? http://www.tmz.com/2014/09/08/ray-rice-elevator-knockout-fiancee-takes-crushing-punch-video/

This is what that idiot Goodell saw before issuing a mere two game suspension. Did he think this wouldn't eventually see the light of day? I'm incredulous at what a poor decision maker he is because this is a complete embarrassment to the league.

[Marlene]

For some reason,the New Yorker is delivered to our address in Maine,with the daughter's name on the mailing label. I've asked her twice to please make it stop! She mailed me something from Amazon months ago,and she thinks the subscription was a freebie.

Ig,have you ever driven the Rubicon trail? Just wondering,we are planning a trip out west next year and want to make it memorable. :)

[NK]

RickB-- as you may remember I dread jinxes. I want 55 Repubs in the Senate plus, Angus King voting with the caucus (meaning cloture and other procedural votes to get some committee perks) so McConnell doesn't have to bargain with idiots like collins and murkowski amd my friends.

[matt]

Obama is channeling Lili Von Schtupp, it would seem "I'm so fwickin tired".

The two latter cases Melnik cites, Cambodia and Chile, are weak. Cambodia was in fact a safe haven for the NVA and our involvement in Chile was minimal.

The alternative in Chile was the chaos that Allende had generated. The coup was homegrown.

More leftist mythology. And as the original Dr. K once said

"A country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security."

[Ignatz]

No, Marlene. I have a friend who has and have looked at timberland all around it.

From the looks of it you need a real rock-crawler to make it all the way through.

[rse]

The Congress is dysfunctional meme also plays into using appointed regional boards and 'participatory governance' after 'consultation with stakeholders' locally for more and more political decision-making. The term stakeholder gets used to obscure the reality that those who want what others have are to be entitled to as much of an interest as the to be taken from.

Many things do not play well when they get translated out of Orwellian language or covered at all by the media.

New post up http://www.invisibleserfscollar.com/history-as-psychological-reality-transformation-tool-must-begin-well-before-high-school/ with me going through particular activities in elementary and middle school classrooms.

[Dave (in MA)]

Captain Hate | September 08, 2014 at 10:53 AM, contrasted with a 3 game suspension and "diversity training" for a Vikings coach who made an "insensitive remark" in the locker room.

[narciso]

note who's been playing the game of telephone,, I know you're shocked.

http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2014/09/ny-times-outs-anti-israel-us-negotiator.html

yes, the problem with Cambodia, was it was struck too late, not that it was struck at all,

[GMax]

HMMMM

Colorado Governor
Rasmussen

Beauprez (R) 45%
Hickenlooper (D) 44%

[DrJ]

From the looks of it you need a real rock-crawler to make it all the way through.

That's my understanding too. You see a lot of those rock crawlers around here. :)

[rse]

Stephanie-if you have been following the Sandy Springs City Center shenanigans at all, the mayor and City Council are completely immersed in Agenda 21 visions of Kremlinesque planning powers over space and the economy.

I always wonder if they are familiar with Agenda 21 or if they just parrot what the town managers and conferences tell them. How many people are now aware that many Town managers and assistant city managers came to those positions after stints in community organizing a la Alinsky?

There's a reason what are laughably called public officials have a monopoly money vision of how the world works. Unfortunately Sandy Springs is also one of the largest cities in the state that happens to be juxtaposed to Atlanta.

[narciso]

Emerson first noticed this in the early 80s, re US punditry and policy makers.

http://bbcwatch.org/2014/09/08/nyt-sheds-new-light-on-the-topic-of-bbc-expert-guests/

[Ignatz]

Wow, CH. He could very easily have killed her, especially if her head had hit that hand rail.
As somebody points out in the comments he appears to spit on her before they even get in the elevator.

And yet she married the guy. I have a friend who told me a as a young fool she drove to the chapel to elope with a guy who she had a restraining order against. He subsequently nearly killed her.

[Captain Hate]

Yeah, Iggy, Goodell was making a big deal about having taken her testimony into account when deciding on that whopper 2 game rip when that idiot should realize that she might not be the right person to provide objective info on their relationship. His decision making ability is about on par with 404's.

Or on triple bogey.

[Jane]

What do these reporters see in him? I just don't get it.

[Marlene]

CH @10:53,I had that conversation with my brother, who convinced me that Goodell must have seen what happened in the elevator. Otherwise,shameful. We actually missed the Pats carpy game yesterday because WABI 5 in Bangor has blacked out DISH TV subscribers in a contract dispute. The time was better spent cleaning the garage!

Ig and DrJ,thanks for the info. I need a small step ladder to to get into hubby's Jeep,but not sure about the rock crawling! I prefer a nice scenic ride. )

[DrJ]

Marlene,

That trail is pretty close to where I live. If you come out this way, do let me know, and let's get together. Iggy, of course you are welcome too.

[Ignatz]

Claudia Rosett on the need for an explanation from UNRWA on what it knew and when it knew it concerning Gaza and Hamas.
A guy in the comments says UNRWA has 10,000 employees in Gaza and nearly all are Palestinian.
It's hard to take the GOP seriously when virtually not a single one of them will just say something as obvious as let's pull out of the UN and kick it out of the US.

There is nothing it does we can't do better by ourselves or with a coalition of non tyrants.

The basic idea behind the UN is the equivalent of any small town with a maximum security prison in it giving the inmates the vote.

[GMax]

Anchor dragging through the water per Ras:

Fifty-three percent (53%) of blacks Strongly Approve of the job the president is doing, compared to 17% of whites and 28% of other minority voters.

Blacks and watermelon whites. 17%!!!!

[Ignatz]

Here ya go Marlene; the Rubicon Trail.
The music is a little irritating and not exactly germane but it gives you a ten minute idea of the Rubicon.

[NK]

That's the hardcore Left/willful parasite vote -- 22-23% or so. The soft Prog/'needy' parasite is another 22-23%. That's the electorate we have. Neither side can afford to piss off persuadable voters. Obama has pissed them off; 'moderate' Dems will pay the price.

[narciso]

the Atlantic Council is Scowcroft's outfit, and he tried to groom Hagel as his protege, so one sees where the puppet strings are.

[narciso]

Douthat brings his own 'squirrel'

hhttp://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/09/08/rape-and-rotherham/

[Marlene]

Thanks Ig! Awesome! We will be going on our annual Jeep Jam in a few weeks. The people are great and it is so much fun!

OK,to stay on topic,Shaheen was one of the Senators who asked O to delay immigration. MA and NH hold their primaries tomorrow.
daddy,not sure if your daughter is into politics,but she will be in the thick of it between now and 2016. Every candidate on both sides will crawl out of the woodwork and visit NH.

[James D.]

And with that column, Douthat is officially dead to me forever.

[AliceH]

And the Best Tax Haven for U.S. Citizens is... Puerto Rico!
http://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/whats-the-best-tax-haven-for-american-citizens/

[Ignatz]

Douthat seems to miss the slight difference that most Islamic societies tolerate or approve of the Rotherham behavior, especially toward infidels.

Did Boston or Irish or Pennsylvania society do so?

[Captain Hate]

Welp the Goodell Football League's line now is "nobody in the GFL had seen that video" whereas right after the 2 game rip uproar some of the league's chief flacks were sent out to shows like Mike and Mike to say "King Roger has seen all the evidence before making his decision and you haven't".

Well run league imo.

[Rick B]

NK,

Dunno how a jinx would occur. The Vulvarian harpies bent on maintaining abortion as the sacrament of all feminists and their beta male lackeys have no prey to rip with claws and beaks. Putting up Abortion Barbie in Texas in order to get a focus point has failed miserably and the GOPe tactic of promoting OTC birth control is kicking the other Vulvarian prop off the stage.

Boehner and MCConnell have both managed to remain so unoffensive as to be rejected as suitable targets for the perpetual prog two minute hates and the pseudo intellectuals manning the Progressive Fascist lack of thought tanks are reduced to mocking Rand Paul's charity towards the poor.

"Something" might go wrong but it won't be a result of the GOPe 'make like a turtle' strategy. I haven't seen an outstretched neck yet and I really don't have any expectation of seeing one before November 10th.

[Ignatz]

Question;
If Scotland, which, while a wunnerful country in many ways, is fairly inconsequential as these things are measured, were to vote for independence and the result of that would be an England in which Labour would be out of power for the foreseeable future why shouldn't I root for the Scootzmen to say "bah, bah, ma boony limey basterdz?"

[Man Tran on iPhone]

Sent from a pal:

On the ferry the other day I occasioned a conversation with Herb M. Relating to your comment about "desire for tax money" Herb reported (to the effect) that recent visits to Washington DC were like visiting Rome in its waning years ... full of people thinking of themselves as our masters, and demanding ever more money to fulfill their messianic mission ... and that it was overwhelmingly infecting everyone, even out in the adjacent suburban counties.

DOOM (trademark thingy)

[Old Lurker]

Man Tran, I live there. He is correct.

[Ignatz]

Agree with the RickB post.
There are times for "contracts with America", like when you're in the political wilderness, and there are times for "never interrupt an enemy...." like when Barry is not only shooting himself in the foot but everyone who gets in range.

2014 is a "vote the bastards" out election.
2016 will need to be a "vote us in and here's why" one.

[NK]

Ignatz-- a good friend is a LearJetLefty retired banker. He's dual UK-and naturalized USA citizen. He's a Labour supporter. I pointed out to him the obvious effect of Scottish independence on labour, and he was uncaring. In his opinion, Scottish independence would mean a grossly devalued Scottish currency, so his US Dollars would go a long long way in Scotland. he owns a St Andrews home and Isle of Sky land there. We'll see.

[Ignatz]

Hey Manny, question fer ya (might be better for email, but what the heck):

What is the additive in gear oil that gives it that gawdawful stench?
It's never made me toss my cookies but it sure is nauseatingly unpleasant.

[rse]

Man tran-and I read the open repeated declarations referring to us now as the governed and subject to all elected officials. Most of whom are simpletons in their understanding of the world.

[NK]

Ignatz@1222-- I think that's right.

ManTran-- the DC sophisticates see that OPM is done, so they are grabbing as much as they can with both fists before it runs out completely and DC rightfully goes back to swamp status. That's my take

[Jim Eagle]

Cross-posting:

Thanks for the feedback on my eye issue.

It turns out I have 3 corneal ulcers (from wearing contacts). On two antibiotics drops.

Also have a left epiretinal membrane that will get closer attention from the corneal specialist tomorrow.

High "pressure" on right eye probably due to the trauma of the ulcers. Which requires some Combigan drops.

Then on top of everthing else I have a 'wrinkle' on the retina of my left eye most likely from the laser surgery I had 3 years ago to repair the 3 tears.

My Opthamologist is world class - Yale and Columbia Medical - who wrote Root Eye Dictionary

He did all the illustrations and cartoons in the book. If you have eye issues and want to learn more the book is a must.

[NK]

CaptH-- take care of those eyes. At least you have a definitive diagnosis.

[lyle]

From that RightScoop link:

TODD: “Long way, long way from when you described them as a JV team. Was that bad intelligence or your misjudgment?”

OBAMA:

“Keep in mind I wasn’t specifically referring to ISIL.

I’ve said that, regionally, there were a whole series of organizations that were focused primarily locally, weren’t focused on homeland, because I think a lot of us, when we think about terrorism, the model is Osama bin Laden and 9/11.”

Isolated the key lie. The rest of it is utter bullshit. I can't believe people are stupid enough to listen to this farce and continually deny the obvious mendacity.

[Captain Hate]

NK, maybe you need to see the opthalmologist although your concern is appreciated.

[Dave (in MA)]

From reading elsewhere, there seem to be quite a few "looks like she slipped and fell" Ravens fans out there who could stand to have their eyes checked.

[daddy]

Thanks everyone for all the kind offers to put up my oldest if she needs a break from school and from me:)

In other news, I just dumped daughter 2 off at High school and on the way home stopped at one of our little coffee kiosks, where you drive up to the little shack in a dirt lot or parking lot, pull up to the window, and tell the girls inside you want whatever and they make it and then you're on your way.

As I waited for my 20 ounce Americano, I was eyeballing the 2 cute girls in the kiosk, (one blonde and 1 brunette) and looking thru to the window on the other side who do I spot eyeballing the girls from his truck as he waited for his coffee?

Republican Senatorial Candidate Dan Sullivan. that's who.

I had the brunette on my side and the blonde was taking his order, but I could tell he was eyeballing my brunette. (He's obviously a brunette guy)

Here's him and his bunch:

His kids go to the same High School with my kids.

Anyhow, I got my coffee first, spun around the coffee hut and saw he was driving a nice, clean looking gas guzzlin' 4 X 4 SUV of some sort, and to verify it was him I spotted this decal on the back window:

That sealed the deal, as he's a JarHead.

Anyhow, even though my 2 daughters are blondes and momma is a redhead, I will overlook Dan Sullivan's preference for brunettes and happily pull the lever for him come Election Day.

[Ignatz]

She slipped and fell and knocked herself out by hitting her head on the side of the elevator?
That's one weird trick, as they say these days.

[Captain Hate]

Dave, some of the Ravens fans, whom I usually put on the same level as the Penn State cultists, I've been reading feel like they were misled by everybody (Rice, the team and the league) and want him gone. It's one of the more shocking reactions I've recently seen.

[Ignatz]

It's lucky for Sullivan Beasts is not an enthusiastic flyer. :)

[NK]

Daddy-- Alaska is so cool. Brunette/raven hair, blue eyes is the way I go... well.... with women. Hey I married one! ..well... my wife's a bottle ginger now. Let's all hope the Jar Head becomes Alaska's next US Senator.

[matt]

I did my own little Rubicon Trail in Utah by accident in June.

There was a turn off or an old mine and then the signs disappeared and I found myself on one of the roughest off road trails I have ever been on. It would have been fun in my truck but I was in the sedan that day. Tore up the underside something awful. 25 miles of praying I'd get through and cursing my bad luck. When I finally hit the corduroy I said Hallelujah!

Marlene, you must have a strong posterior for thinking of the Rubicon. Rough, rough trail.

Obama really is more of a putz every day.

[Some Guy]

there seem to be quite a few "looks like she slipped and fell" Ravens fans out there

After seeing the video? That's a bit rich.

I don't know anything about prosecuting domestic violence, but when I saw the video on ESPN it looked like she had a hard time walking while getting into the elevator and that it is possible that she either tried to punch or elbow Rice prior to him to going full Neanderthal.

There is zero justification for what Rice did, but can the defense argue "she started it!" and get away with it?

[Danube on iPad]

The NFL has released a statement saying that they had requested the tape of the inside of the elevator from the police, but the police refused. They say they had not seen it until TMZ released it this morning.

Goodell wouldn't lie about this because if someone rats him out on the lie he's out of a $44 million a year job.

[sbw]

Iggy, "Sulphur and Phosphorus are smelly anti-wear additives, particularly in GL-5 gear oils for hypoid gears"

Courtesy of the Intertubes.

[daddy]

Sorry to be a broken record on the Alaska Senate Election but NK's link to Hot Air up above had this paragraph:

Alaska: Accurately polling this state is infamously difficult, but the new New York Times/CBS News/YouGov poll shows a stark reversal in the race, with Republican Dan Sullivan now leading incumbent Sen. Mark Begich by six points — 45 to 39, including leaners. The Begich campaign is still reeling from a furious backlash over their desperate TV ad that falsely tied Sullivan to a terrible case involving child rape and a double murder. The family of the victims demanded that Begich pull the ad, with Sullivan slamming the spot for being factually inaccurate. Begich has voted with President Obama 97 percent of the time, according to a Congressional Quarterly analysis.

I am still not seeing that story legitimately reported up here, and once again there is zero mention today by the largest paper in the state of Obama delaying an Illegal Immigration EO.

The story of consequence in the largest paper is this one:

Ad spending by Senate campaigns, outside groups tilts in Begich's favor

A new analysis shows that the TV ads flooding Alaska’s airwaves this election cycle have predominantly come from Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Begich and his allies, as opposed to his Republican opponent, Dan Sullivan, and the groups backing him.

Begich’s campaign has run an estimated 10,100 ads compared to Sullivan’s 5,300, which accounts for most of the difference. But even when it comes to outside groups like super PACs, Democratic groups have run more commercials than Republican groups, by a count of 9,433 to 7,975 -- figures that complicate an oft-cited Democratic message that Outside forces are trying to buy Alaska’s Senate seat.

Wish I was as confident as the guy in NK's Hot Air Link but I am not. Also a big bunch of native Corps up here just endorsed Begich.

[Ignatz]

I've done that many times, matt, only in my 4X4.
Nothing like getting miles out a road that slowly gets progressively worse until you're too far to turn around or can't find a place to, but have no idea if you'll make it through the other way.

Or worse, go down a hill where your diffs are plowing through the snow so you know you'll never make it back up the hill and you just pray the snow doesn't get any deeper the direction you're heading.

Marlene, you do know the Donner Party threw their little soiree a few miles north of the Rubicon right? :)

[Ignatz]

Thanks SBW. I guess I could have thought of looking it up too, huh?

[Dave (in MA)]

The NFL never saw it.

I suppose if their hard drives crashed...

[Thomas Collins]

Some Guy, I don't think a top notch criminal defense lawyer could convince a jury that Rice might have been in reasonable fear of bodily harm and thus justified in using force. If anyone started the fight in the elevator, it was Rice. Furthermore, it looks as if Rice might have spit on or made some remark to his then fiancée before they got into the elevator. However, my understanding is that Rice's lawyers cut a deal, and that Rice is in some sort of program that gets him out of jail time.

As far as what the NFL does now, my understanding is that the collective bargaining agreement prevents two sets of punishments for the same offense or event. My take on it is that the NFL will just have to tell its no doubt well credentialed lawyers to figure out a way to argue successfully that the newly come to light video presents evidence so different from what the prior evidence in the NFL's possession indicated that a full year suspension is warranted. If the Players Association objects, Goodell should tell the union honchos to go ahead and sue. Not the usual course to be recommended, but in this case I think it's better for the NFL to fight this out in arbitration and court process and lose than not even attempt to suspend Rice for the entire year.

[Ignatz]

--when I saw the video on ESPN it looked like she had a hard time walking while getting into the elevator and that it is possible that she either tried to punch or elbow Rice prior to him to going full Neanderthal--

In looking at it, it's pretty clear he spit on her as she walked by outside the elevator and she gave him the back of her hand in response.

Once in the elevator it's hard to tell with the stop action nature of the video but it appears he does something to her as she's by the wall of the elevator and she then responds by heading toward him and he then knocks her out.

My question is what difference does the video make? They already knew he literally knocked her out.
If you cut somebody up and put them in your freezer Goodell suspends you ten games, but if they find your video of you doing it you lose a whole season?

[Thomas Collins]

As far as Goodell goes, I think a press doing its job now would aggressively vet the efforts made by the NFL to obtain the full video.

[Some Guy]

Some Guy, I don't think a top notch criminal defense lawyer could convince a jury that Rice might have been in reasonable fear of bodily harm and thus justified in using force.

I hope I was clear that I wasn't arguing any like that.

My question was more general that if one party is the first to use force, does that undermine the prosecution of the other party in a domestic abuse case.

[Thomas Collins]

Ignatz, I agree that the aftermath we saw awhile ago was consistent with the punch we saw today. But in the always public relations conscious NFL, the game has now changed, so to speak.

I wonder whether Goodell's newly found concern with players who commit criminal battery stemmed from finding out that the press might release the full video.

[Thomas Collins]

It could, Some Guy, whether or not it's a domestic situation, if it raises the question of whether the one on trial was in reasonable fear of bodily harm.

[Dave (in MA)]

Maybe someone could arrange for Mrs. Rice to have a littl chat with the maternal grandparents of Jerry Remy's granddaughter.

[lyle]

but can the defense argue "she started it!" and get away with it?

Any thoughts, NK? ;)

[Marlene]

Ig and matt,we once took a dirt road in northern Maine miles and miles thru a potato field. We came to a stop at a rusty gate and a border marker. Welcome to Canada! That was pre-9/11 and most border crossings in the middle of nowhere now have security cameras.
The Rubicon Trail ride is four days and requires camping. Believe me,after eight hours (for two days) in the Jeep during the western Maine trail ride,I'm so happy to return to a nice comfy B&B and a glass of wine.

[Stephanie accidentally OnT?]

No, rse, I have not been following the Sandy Springs mess. Snellville has its own problems with a carpetbagging mayor and her recently arrived supporters that is tying up some of my time. She is a huge lefty agenda 21 supporter who was voted in by the sudden influx of minorities. They have now started the 'town center initiative' to make Snellville a planned community with the downtown destination for convenient shopping and Disney like buildout.

[rse]

It fits Steph. People refused to let ATL annex them so they have created these cities and towns that have far more power than when they remained unincorporated. Because they are now contiguous, it is as if we were annexed.

[NK]

Lyle--

good point. I believe that "SHE STARTED IT" is an absolute and irrebutable defense.

[Captain Hate]

The NFL has released a statement saying that they had requested the tape of the inside of the elevator from the police, but the police refused. They say they had not seen it until TMZ released it this morning.

That might be true but when outrage began after the initial 2 game suspension, Goodell sent his shills out to shows like Mike and Mike to argue that he had access to things that the rest of the world didn't before making his decision. I believe that probably didn't include this video but that was a stupidly defensive way to justify his decision and assumed erroneously that nothing like this would eventually surface. He might have been influenced by the prosecutor bargaining it down to a misdemeanor plea but I think it was an error on his part to mount such an aggressive justification for his actions based on next to nothing.

[NK]

CH-- Goodell will have to increase the suspension now, no?

[Danube on iPad]

I just heard Harvey Levin (founder of TMZ and a very smart lawyer). Very, very interesting. He says

--TMZ released the video (today) "shortly after" getting it. He declined to say how TMZ got it.

--Did the NFL ask the casino for the video? If not, why not?

--He has a source telling him that the someone from the NLL did indeed see the video, and he says ESPN is reporting that it has such a course also.

I agree with TC: there's enough smoke here that the press is likely to go after it hammer and tong.

Something else he said that I had not known: a grand jury indicted Rice on a felony charge. Rice pled it down to a misdemeanor.

Popcorn time.

[Thomas Collins]

Apparently, there is a question of what the NFL and the Ravens saw, and when they saw it.

http://thebiglead.com/2014/09/08/nfl-says-it-didnt-have-ray-rice-knockout-video-but-reporters-said-otherwise-this-summer/

My opinion: It is inconceivable to me that the NFL, if it had so desired, couldn't have accessed the entire tape if it had really wanted to conduct a full investigation. Saying you asked for something and were turned down doesn't cut it with me.

[NK]

here are some sunrise photos from AccuWeather taken a few miles from my (and Tom M's ) home:
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/photo/sunrise-at-belle-island-in-con/33679850

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/photo/pear-tree-point-beach-in-conne/33575483

[Captain Hate]

NK, I honestly can't venture an opinion based on the poor way it's been handled already. That TMZ gets access to something the NFL couldn't just floors me conceptually.

[henry]

Big week at the 7th Circuit. Voter ID hearing Friday.

[Dave (in MA)]

Maybe TMZ was offering more money.

[henry]

Fun with Typhuspad. The above link is bad. The Voter ID hearing writeup for Friday is here.

[henry]

Plus a John Doe hearing for Tuesday writeup here.

[Danube on iPad]

I suspect the NFL didn't really want to see it very badly. But if it turns out they did see it and they're lying about it, the ordure is really going to hit the fan.

[Captain Hate]

Well boom, the Ravens just cut Rice.