My Tampa Bay Rays are in the World Series but the Beach-Ready Dodgers keep trying to climb out of a 3-1 hole. Now their series is 3-3 and Atlanta needs to finish them off tonight. Otherwise, useless LA can pick up two major championships in a span of a few weeks, which never happens unless you count hockey, which on one should ever do.
On the other hand... if the Rays can win the title by beating the Yankees, Cheatin' 'Stros and Dodgers that is a heckuva run. But they have to win! Hmm - maybe I should root for the Dodgers tonight and bank on the Rays humbling them on the big stage? Tough call!
Yaacov Apelbaum's column 'Operation Snort' warns:
"There are currently a number of images circulating on social media that purport to depict Hunter Biden snorting cocaine off the backside of a prostitute.
"These images are being falsely attributed to Hunter Biden. The sources of these uploads are several progressive media outlets like Thunder Walks About. This seems to be a part of a wider discreditation operation that aims to attack the credibility of the recently released authentic Hunter Biden images and email."
Apelbaum does say "recently released authentic Hunter Biden images and email" -- and with his skills he should know.
I haven't commented on The Illustrated Primer in some time, but on this one I said:
"If only a few newspaper editors across the United States had the integrity to publish your excellent work those of us who use to believe in our government’s Justice Department, FBI, our Senate and House, might have some hope that the evil and malign operators would be exposed and brought to justice. I don’t want to wait for ‘history’ to expose them — you already have done this since the early days of President Trump’s presidency — I want to see the truth on front pages and in major media right now. I use to console myself that ‘the wheels of the gods grind slow, but they grind exceeding small’. Right now, I want the mighty wheels grinding the bad actors, them being indicted, hiring attorneys, and receiving swift justice; and, I want lying journalists and their lies exposed and their positions in major newspapers and/or television eliminated.
Thanks for your continued fine work."
I was pleased with his response:
'Thank your for your kind words Joan.
Indeed,
Though the mills of G-d grind slowly,
Yet they grind exceeding small
Though with patience he stands waiting,
With exactness grinds he all.
At the same time, there is no reason why we can’t help with the coarse grinding first…'
As clarice says, Apelbaum is a genius.
Posted by: joan | October 19, 2020 at 02:24 PM
Yeah, Jack, but if you follow the demographics on who is showing at Trump rallies according to the campaign, a hefty chunk of dems are voting Trump or at least showing up to rallies, so are the breakouts of early voting by registration accurate? I think not.
Posted by: Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma | October 19, 2020 at 02:24 PM
JiB 2:21
If Democrats only have a 6 point lead in Florida early voting wouldn't that be good news since the GOP is expected to dominate in person voting?
Posted by: Tom R | October 19, 2020 at 02:25 PM
Robin, many thanks for the encouragement on school! I have been telling the kids that this is a great opportunity for them, that they'll never have so much access to the teachers who are there, and that they get a rare chance to "own the school." They are all "seniors" at their schools - 5th, 8th, and 12th grade.
Totally agree they can be flexible and adapt. They already have!
I'll use your advice, too.
Best wishes to your daughter and to your family! Not to use the dreaded phrase but "we'll get through this" - LOL.
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 02:27 PM
jimmyk:
"Can someone please clarify what the issue is with the lawyer asking (or not asking) for the laptop? How does that affect the validity of the story or the legality of what the computer repair guy did?"
The presumption is that if the computer was not Hunter Biden's, then his lawyer would not be asking for it back. So it's taken as another indicator of authenticity. I suspect the legality question is time dependent. It's my understanding that the computer becomes the property of the repsir shop if the owner has not picked it up after X number of days/weeks. I'm not sure if the repair shop owner still had it when the putative request was made.
My question is why the FBI needed to subpoena the computer(s)/hard drive(s) when the repair shop owner was apparently trying to give it to them. Is that just part of memorializing the chain of custody. Don't they have to state a compelling reason for "taking" it in such a manner? And if so, what was the stated reason for doing so?
My other question is really more of a concern. If there is, in fact, child pornography on the computer hard drive, isn't copying it and disseminating it to others a serious crime? The shop owner might have some sort of indemnity for the contents of computers he is repairing, but if he copied material, and in particular if he sold any copies, I suspect he would not be protected. I can easily see Giuliani being targeted for his role in propagating such materials. Hope I'm wrong in how that would work, but when the DoJ uses child pornography as the primary umbrella under which back door access to tech devices of every kind is sought, I can see all sorts of fraught legalities here.
Posted by: JM Hanes | October 19, 2020 at 02:29 PM
Jimmy,
The store guy has hunter signed paperwork that says if he fails to pick it up, the store guy gets ownership. Legally he has zero liability. Of course liberals don’t think laws apply to them.
Posted by: Jane | October 19, 2020 at 02:29 PM
Robin @ tiger beat, yes that is verbatim from the transcript. Let's talk about climate change! Expect it this Thursday as well!
Posted by: peter | October 19, 2020 at 02:33 PM
Tom,
I trust Barr but not Wray. I assume there's a plan to deal with him in about three weeks but until then he's spouting ridiculous theories that further discredit the FBI.
Posted by: Captain Hate | October 19, 2020 at 02:34 PM
Thanks, JMH. So now the repair guy will be arrested for possession of kiddie porn? Please help me believe that won't happen.
Posted by: jimmyk | October 19, 2020 at 02:37 PM
This graph reminds me of that graph of Republicans vs. Democrats response to the coronavirus and the subsequent breakdown between men and women.... reflects the enrollment of students for Fall 2020.
Totally, Robin.
I don't know a SINGLE lib who is sending their kids back in our district. It's tough on my kids that their friends aren't there, but it's good for them too.
Maybe it's also not such a bad thing that teachers are feeling grateful for their in-person students whose parents are Republicans and thus not living in fear. :)
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 02:37 PM
https://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2020/10/19/an-update-on-my-health-its-a-roller-coaster/
Update on Rush. It's not good, but it sounds like he'll get to see Trump re-elected.
Posted by: Robin, eff 'em all | October 19, 2020 at 02:37 PM
For well over a year Trump’s approval rating among GOP voters has been 95-96%. Trump has sent out numerous tweets pointing that out.
For some unexplained reason Rasmussen is showing Trump with an 82% approval rating among GOP likely voters. That doesn’t seem accurate.
https://twitter.com/rasmussen_poll/status/1318258175829749763?s=21
Posted by: Tom R | October 19, 2020 at 02:40 PM
The New Yorker has suspended reporter Jeffrey Toobin. Sources tell VICE it’s because he exposed himself during a Zoom call last week between members of the New Yorker and WNYC radio.
Toobin said in a statement to Motherboard: “I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers.”
“I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video,” he added.
New Yorker spokesperson Natalie Raabe said: “Jeffrey Toobin has been suspended while we investigate the matter.”
Snort... giggle.... guffaw... LOL
Posted by: Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma | October 19, 2020 at 02:40 PM
jimmyk, JMH -
I don't believe there's actually kiddie porn on the laptop. That's just part of the endless speculation.
IMO of course, I have no way to confirm.
But when Levin asked how crazy does this laptop stuff get, Giuliani didn't hint at that kind of crazy.
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 02:40 PM
All: I preface that early voting that it's still early. All the electioneering pro's on both sides here all are predicting Republicans will close the gap significantly through in person voting.
Usually, its republicans who dominate early voting in Florida.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | October 19, 2020 at 02:42 PM
rse,
Thanks for the update on early voting! Great news. I have heard reports of long lines in Austin (who knows if they're even true) but my lib coworkers all said with disappointment in their voices that when they went to vote on campus, there was no one there. LOL
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 02:43 PM
You're right, and this year Junior gets to be home, maybe even listening to Mom and Dad opine about the real world.
You betcha, hrt. And that worries the left, too. Can't let parents have too much access to their own kids ya know.
Hahaha dumbasses maybe you shouldn't have shut down the world.
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 02:45 PM
Sir Why are you calling Biden a criminal?
Cause he is a criminal. Look at the laptop.
As a matter of fact, you are a criminal for not reporting it.
Presser at the plane just now. LOL
Posted by: Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma | October 19, 2020 at 02:45 PM
I don't know a SINGLE lib who is sending their kids back in our district. It's tough on my kids that their friends aren't there, but it's good for them too.
For lefty Ithaca we had pretty big numbers wanting in person schooling:
67% of the secondary students
50% of the elementary
But the alternative ms/hs my daughter just transferred out of was more like 30% of the students wanting in person, just one of the many reasons she wanted out.
Posted by: Robin, eff 'em all | October 19, 2020 at 02:48 PM
Usually, its republicans who dominate early voting in Florida.
I'm not sure that's the case, JiB. I believe I read this morning that going into Election Day 2016 the Dems had 1.9 million votes banked in FL and the Rs had 1 million. Will try to find that again on Twitter.
Don't forget the Rs rolled up on the Dems in voter registration in FL this cycle too. The D advantage is like 150K smaller now than it was in 2016.
The big question is how many more votes are Ds harvesting early this year solely due to rona. Meaning votes they would have gotten anyway, not additional votes.
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 02:49 PM
My GOP sister (retired Catholic schoolteacher) is taking me to early vote as soon as our early voting centers open in our township.
She can take me during the week when working people aren't able to go.
Posted by: MissMarple2 | October 19, 2020 at 02:49 PM
CH @ 2:34
The FBI is subservient to the DOJ. If the DOJ US Attorney in Delaware wanted to indict Hunter Biden for something on his computer there is nothing the FBI could have done to stop that.
Clarice or some other lawyer feel free to correct me if I am wrong but I think there are only 3 possible outcomes of the grand jury. The GJ is still in progress, the GJ refused to return an indictment, or the GJ returned an indictment and it is currently under seal.
Regardless of what happened with the GJ, I am fairly certain the DOJ is who had the decision making authority for what to do with the contents of Biden's computer, not the FBI.
Posted by: Tom R | October 19, 2020 at 02:50 PM
Well, at least they called him "Sir," Stephanie.
Posted by: Robin, eff 'em all | October 19, 2020 at 02:50 PM
I mean't to add that early voting in Florida commenced today!
Posted by: Jim Eagle | October 19, 2020 at 02:50 PM
Stephanie, it was a small mistake.
Posted by: henry | October 19, 2020 at 02:52 PM
I hope not, Porch, because it could both overshadow everything else and blow up in everybody's faces. If there is, I would hope that the Justice Dept has been investigating from the moment they took possession of the computer -- for moral as well as political reasons. All lot to hope for, alas.
Does anybody have any thoughts on the subpoena question I asked in my 2:29?
Posted by: JM Hanes | October 19, 2020 at 02:54 PM
Click for new thread ^
Posted by: boris | October 19, 2020 at 02:54 PM
Sorry, Porchlight but Republicans traditionally dominate early voting in Florida. To make my point, from Politico:
"For the first time ever at this stage of a general election, Democrats here are outvoting Republicans — and by a mammoth 384,000-vote margin through Tuesday."
Posted by: Jim Eagle | October 19, 2020 at 02:56 PM
Tom R:
Is the US Atty in Delaware the one in possession of the Hunter Biden computer? Did the subpoena issue from his office? I've only heard that it was turned over to the "F.B.I.," who reportedly "sat on it."
Posted by: JM Hanes | October 19, 2020 at 02:57 PM
This seems fairly significant. Gallup currently has the electorate at R+1. That is a 6 point swing from this point in 2016.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/Party-Affiliation.aspx
Posted by: Tom R | October 19, 2020 at 03:05 PM
’So now the repair guy will be arrested for possession of kiddie porn?’
I laughed out loud when I read that, jimmyk, and then pondered the absurdity that such an event can’t be immediately dismissed.
Posted by: BeastsEngland | October 19, 2020 at 04:21 PM
Cap'n "I trust Barr but not Wray."
I go further.
I actively distrust Wray and have from his appointment.
I have hopes that Barr might surprise me but so far, he "give good speech", ala Trey Gowdy and thus far has been about as effective. If he acted like he sounds, then, since he says the country is in the balance, he would have found some action, any action, that equal justice under the law is returning...and that direct reports like Wray are shown the door as soon as their stripes are known. Some action; any action...
So while I hope to be surprised by Barr, my gut feel expressed here at the time based on mutual friends that he would protect the Deep State because he has thrived too long inside the Beltway to do otherwise made him a high risk appointment in the first place. So far, judging by the actions or lack thereof, I remain skeptical.
Posted by: Old Lurker | October 19, 2020 at 04:45 PM
How do you accidentally expose your penis during a zoom call then claim you did not realize you were on camera ???
Posted by: Old Lurker | October 19, 2020 at 04:53 PM
My error, JiB. The twitter thread I was reading this morning was about NC, not FL.
My eyes are crossing.
Thanks for the correction!
Posted by: Porchlight | October 19, 2020 at 04:58 PM
Just finished Bret Baier's show and if it wasn't for Mollie Hemingway there wouls have been no mention of the Biden story. Unbelievable.
Posted by: Texas Liberty Gal | October 19, 2020 at 06:56 PM
As was said earlier re: "science"
https://www.acsh.org/news/2020/10/02/slow-suicide-american-science-15065
Posted by: anonamom | October 19, 2020 at 07:36 PM