End of Today's News

Real life has blessed me with a good job. Unfortunately, because of the hours needed to work that job, my blogging time will be severely limited. This means I will not be able to blog regularly, which means the end of my "Today's News" feature.

I want to personally thank all of you who have given me your eyeballs here for almost 2 years. I have enjoyed writing for you, and I hope I have given you a reason to keep coming back here over that time. I like to think I have always been honest with you, even when it was brutal.

My commodity was, and is, the TRUTH. Going forward, I will continue to comment here when I can. This isn't my last post. Just the end of regular posting. But the TRUTH will always be here.

Gone fishing

Not really, but I'm calling in sick to the blog. Not really sick, mind you. Just not feeling it today. I will return tomorrow, God willing and the creeks don't rise.

Weekly Finale: Fats Domino

This week's musical finale comes on a sad note with the death of Fats Domino, at the age of 89.

Fats Domino became a musical sensation with the song, "Blueberry Hill", which reached #2 on the U.S. music charts in 1956 (#1 on the R&B charts). He must have known he made it big when he appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show":



But where Domino really shined was when he took a bluesy theme and gave it the special treatment only he could, with that big smile of his, which said, "Yeah, you got me blue now, but you ain't beaten me yet!" The best example of this is in 1957's "I'm Walkin'":


The legacy of Fats Domino on rock and roll music is huge, having influenced such rockers as Elvis and Paul McCartney. But even later musicians weren't immune to the Domino's musical prowess. Just consider 1955's "Ain't That a Shame", written by Domino and Dave Bartholomew:



That song led to one of the greatest covers in rock history, by Cheap Trick in 1979:



If there are pianos in Heaven, I am sure Fats is there now. And no matter what he is singing, he will be smiling.

That is all for this week's blogging. I will return Monday, but now I'm walkin' into the weekend. Enjoy yours!

Spain, JFK, and Groping Bush: Today's News for October 27th

CNN:

Spain on verge of seizing control of Catalonia amid independence crisis

The Spanish Senate was due to vote on the Madrid government's unprecedented plans to seize control of the autonomous region of Catalonia on Friday, as the crisis over the province's bid for independence comes to a head.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy outlined plans to dissolve the Catalan parliament under a never-before-used article of the country's constitution, vowing to remove the region's elected leaders as soon as possible and hold new elections.

The Senate -- where Rajoy's Popular Party has a majority -- must first approve the measures, drawn up under Article 155 of the constitution.

Somebody needs to inform Spain that you can't keep holding elections until you get the results you like. The only form of democracy that allows for that is called "corrupt". Considering Spain's government undemocratically interfered with Catalonia's last election, they don't have much justification for further interference in Catalonia.

Meanwhile:

...members of Catalonia's regional Parliament will continue a contentious debate Friday in Barcelona, the regional capital, on the best way forward.

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont on Thursday backed away from a plan to call new elections himself, amid disagreement within his own party and pressure from opposing sides. Instead, he put the ball back in the court of the regional parliament, which will debate a proposal "to form the Catalan Republic as an independent and sovereign state" on Friday.

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont

In other news....

Fox News:

JFK Files: 'Big news' coming, British reporter was told before shots fired

 A senior reporter at a British newspaper received an anonymous phone call prior to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, alerting the reporter to “some big news” about 25 minutes in advance, according to a CIA file released Thursday.

“The caller said only that the Cambridge News reporter should call the American Embassy in London for some big news and then hung up,” reads the document from former CIA Deputy Director James Angleton.

The reporter, who was not identified in the Nov. 26, 1963, report, “never received a call of this kind before and MI5 said that he is known to them as a sound and loyal person with no security record.” (MI5 is Britian's Security Service, similar to the CIA in the United States.)

After Kennedy’s death, the reporter told the Cambridge police about the call and the police informed MI5. "The important point is that the call was made, according to MI5 calculations, about 25 minutes before the President was shot.”

While this is curious, even if it is true, it isn't definitive. "American Embassy in London" plus "big news" roughly 25 minutes in advance of JFK's assassination is an interesting coincidence, but it doesn't prove correlation. For all we know, the big news could have been related to some kind of trade agreement with Britain. We don't even have a clue who made the call. It could have been Lee Harvey Oswald, or even someone with whom Oswald shared his plans.

Nothing to see here, move along...

The Hill:

Third woman says she was groped by George H.W. Bush

A third woman said Thursday that she too was groped by former President George H.W. Bush during a photo op in 2014.

Christina Baker Kline described the incident in a Slate op-ed, saying it took place at a Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy fundraiser.

"You wanna know my favorite book?" Kline recalled Bush telling her as she leaned closer to him for the photo, with she and her husband standing on either side of Bush's wheelchair.

"President Bush put his arm around me, low on my back. His comic timing was impeccable. 'David Cop-a-feel,' he said, and squeezed my butt, hard, just as the photographer snapped the photo. Instinctively, I swiped his hand away," Kline wrote.

This is pretty creepy stuff. It gets worse:

A spokesperson for Bush issued an apology on behalf of the former president on Wednesday.

"At age 93, President Bush has been confined to a wheelchair for roughly five years, so his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures," Bush spokesman Jim McGrath said in the statement.

"To try to put people at ease, the president routinely tells the same joke - and on occasion, he has patted women's rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner. Some have seen it as innocent; others clearly view it as inappropriate," it added.

If Bush wants to be a dirty old man, we get it. Just admit it, ok? That way women can keep their distance going forward.

At the very least, he needs to get new joke material. "David Cop-a-feel" is lame by my standards, and my standards are pretty loose. (Pun intended.)

The Age of Sexual Harassment: Today's News for October 26th

CNN:

Five women accuse journalist and 'Game Change' co-author Mark Halperin 

of sexual harassment

Veteran journalist Mark Halperin sexually harassed women while he was in a powerful position at ABC News, according to five women who shared their previously undisclosed accounts with CNN and others who did not experience the alleged harassment personally, but were aware of it.

"During this period, I did pursue relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me," Halperin said in a statement to CNN Wednesday night. "I now understand from these accounts that my behavior was inappropriate and caused others pain. For that, I am deeply sorry and I apologize. Under the circumstances, I'm going to take a step back from my day-to-day work while I properly deal with this situation."

...But women who spoke to CNN say he also had a dark side not made public until now. The stories of harassment shared with CNN range in nature from propositioning employees for sex to kissing and grabbing one's breasts against her will. Three of the women who spoke to CNN described Halperin as, without consent, pressing an erection against their bodies while he was clothed. Halperin denies grabbing a woman's breasts and pressing his genitals against the three women.

Three women claim it? If true, this is pretty damning evidence. Even a trial jury would have a hard time ignoring the same testimony from three witnesses.

Halperin is clearly a serial harasser/misogynist/sexual predator. But there are a lot of sexual harassment charges being tossed around these days:

Breitbart:

Hollywood’s Accused Harassers, Molesters, Rapists – The Rap Sheet, So Far

As the Harvey Weinstein scandal spreads like an STD throughout the entertainment industry worldwide, as the courage of those coming forward to name names inspires similar courage in others, we cannot allow ourselves to become so accustomed to the allegations that they lose their power to outrage.

Although some male victims have come forward, the alleged victims here are mostly vulnerable young women and children. Worse, so far, all of the alleged abusers are the very men whose primary responsibility in any civilized society is to protect women and children.

As a means to understand just how, yes, institutional these allegations are, here is a list (in no particular order) of the accused and their alleged misdeeds, which will be updated as needed.

Unless otherwise indicated, these stand only as allegations.

So far, 43 and counting… 

Click the link above to see the entire list, but 43 is significant. While there are a few serial harassers on the list, there are also a few one-timers, such as:

4. Oliver Stone – Oscar-Winning Director
Accused of groping a woman at a party.  

Maybe Stone is guilty of this. but one incident (at a party no less) shouldn't lump him in with the likes of Harvey Weinstein or other serial harassers. People who use their power or fame to allow themselves to sexually abuse women is inexcusable on a far different level than one simple indiscretion at a party.

This isn't excusing Stone's alleged action, but it is a recognition that this is beginning to look more like a witch hunt than a serious investigation into institutionalized sexual harassment within the entertainment industry. Try to keep this in perspective.

In other news...

Daily Mail:

Legendary Blueberry Hill singer and rock and roll pioneer Fats Domino dead at 89

Fats Domino, the amiable rock 'n' roll pioneer whose steady, pounding piano and easy baritone helped change popular music while honoring the traditions of the Crescent City, has died.

He was 89.

Mark Bone, chief investigator with the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, coroner's office, said Domino died of natural causes early Tuesday.

His daughter said he was surrounded by family and friends and died peacefully the previous day.

It's a sad day for music.

But in somewhat brighter news...

Quartz:

A new American revolution is starting in New England—against Daylight Saving Time

“Why do we keep doing this to ourselves?” Donna Bailey, a Democratic state representative in Maine and crusader against anachronistic and dangerous institutions, asked the Wall Street Journal (paywall). It’s an excellent question.

Earlier this year, Bailey sponsored a bill that would move Maine to the Atlantic Time Zone, an hour ahead of its current position in the Eastern Time Zone, and no longer observe Daylight Saving Time. The bill passed both chambers of the Maine state legislature. But the Senate added a provision that Maine voters must approve the change in a referendum, and the referendum could only be triggered by neighboring Massachusetts and New Hampshire changing their time, too. Since neither of those states had immediate plans to change their time zones, the move seemed doomed.

But now there is hope. Massachusetts is considering a permanent change in its time zone. A commission is studying the issue was prompted by public health advocate Tom Emswiler. He argues that a shift to Atlantic Time would boost the economy by encouraging college students to stay in Massachusetts, instead of moving to sunnier places like New York City. If the commission votes to recommend the change next week, the report will move to lawmakers and maybe result in legislation. It is a long shot, to be sure. If Massachusetts moves to Atlantic Time, Maine probably will too, and that will pressure New Hampshire to follow.

...A better part of these proposals is the ditching of Daylight Saving Time. There are well-documented costs of changing clocks each year, including car accidents and heightened stress. Not every country, or even state, observes twice-yearly time changes, and those that do, change clocks on different days. It creates a semi-annual state of chaos.

We can only hope that this changes soon, and spreads throughout the rest of the country. End the daylight savings insanity!

By the way, daylight savings time ends November 5th.

Wednesday Wisdom: George Carlin

"One great thing about getting old is that you can get out of all sorts of social obligations just by saying you're tired."--George Carlin (1937-2008)

Protecting Banks: Today's News for October 25th

Axios:

Senate votes to nullify rule allowing class action suits against banks

The Senate has voted to nullify a rule allowing consumers join together to sue banks or credit card companies, with Vice President Pence breaking the tie. GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham and John Kennedy joined all 48 Democrats in voting no. The rule banned companies from using forced settlements in consumer disputes.

As the AP notes, the rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau "exposed banks to large class-action lawsuits. Supporters say that possibility would help ensure banks, credit card companies and other lenders treat consumers appropriately. The vote comes months after House action and reflects the effort of the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to undo regulations that the GOP argues harm the free market."

Allowing lawsuits harms the free market? Somebody needs to re-educate Republicans on what a free market is.

In other news...

New York Daily News:

Heather Lind accuses ex-Prez George H.W. Bush of sexual assault

An AMC actress claims that former President George H.W. Bush groped her from his wheelchair during a screening.

Heather Lind, who starred in “Turn: Washington’s Spies,” detailed her accusations in a lengthy Instagram post Tuesday, when she said she was “disturbed” after seeing a photo of President Obama with the 41st president.

“I found it disturbing because I recognize the respect ex-presidents are given for having served. And I feel pride and reverence toward many of the men in the photo. But when I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo,” Lind, 34, wrote.

“He didn’t shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again. Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say ‘not again.’ His security guard told me I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo.”

...In a statement to the Daily News, the former President did not deny the allegations.

"President Bush would never — under any circumstance — intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind," his spokesman said.

Really? He is going to use the "just kidding" excuse?

Didn't he use that excuse to justify new taxes?

Seriously, in other political news...

CNN:

Clinton campaign, DNC helped fund dossier research

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee helped fund research that led to the now-infamous dossier of allegations about President Donald Trump and Russia, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

The source said the law firm Perkins Coie, as part of its representation of the Clinton campaign and the DNC, retained the intelligence firm Fusion GPS and entered "into an engagement for research services that began in April 2016 and concluded before the election in early November."

The Washington Post was first to report the news Tuesday.

The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, said a lawyer representing the Clinton campaign and the DNC hired Fusion GPS, which in turn hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, whose research makes up the document. The Post said Perkins Coie lawyer Marc Elias retained the research firm in April 2016 as the GOP primary was winding down and Trump was increasingly likely to clinch his party's nomination.

CNN previously reported Fusion GPS's anti-Trump research was initially funded by anti-Trump Republicans during the GOP primaries, and Democrats began paying the research firm later on, after Trump became the presumptive nominee. The Washington Post reports that Fusion GPS hired Steele after the Democratic funding began and the general election picture grew clearer.

So let's get this straight: This false report wasn't generated by the U.S. government's intelligence community. It wasn't started or paid for by Republican opposition during the primaries. It WAS paid for by the DNC and the Clinton campaign JOINTLY.

It is crap like this that makes Trump look far better than he deserves. The Democrats have nobody but themselves to blame for the mess of the last election.

Doing Something about the Weather: Today's News for October 24th

"Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it."--Charles Dudley Warner

Fortunately, government to the rescue...

CNN:

Government report calls on Trump to act on climate change

A government report released Monday is sounding an alarm over the threat of climate change, and the government's response.

The US government has spent more than $350 billion over the past decade in response to extreme weather and fire events, and the Government Accountability Office report estimated the US would incur far higher costs as the years progress if global emission rates don't go down.

Note that last statement is based on the infamously unproven theory of anthropogenic climate change. This theory ignores the sun's impact on climate change, and assumes atmospheric processes (such as plant life converting CO2 to O2) are incapable of absorbing the CO2 which mankind creates. But why let scientific facts get in the way of the Left's political crusade? Just keep repeating the mantra often enough, and it will be true. There is no place like home, there is no place like home... 

In other news that at least has the virtue of facts to support it...

Fox Business:

Clinton Uranium One deal: 

FBI informant blocked by Obama-era AG can unlock key info, attorney says

An informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is under a gag order that prevents him from testifying before the United States Congress that Russian nuclear officials were involved in fraudulent dealings in 2009 before the Uranium One deal was approved.

Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch blocked the informant from testifying last year and threatened criminal action against him if he were to do so.

In an interview with FOX Business’ Loud Dobbs, Victoria Toensing, the attorney representing the FBI informant, said she has never heard of a criminal penalty for breaching a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

“If it does and it is unconstitutional and it’s invalid, if it prohibits my client from giving information to the legislature, the executive cannot say to people, ‘Hey, you can’t give information to another body of the government,’” Toensing said.

This story was nicely ignored by the media during the election, even though the New York Times reported on it back in 2015. For more details about it, here is the previous TRUTH story on it. 

But now it appears the Obama administration was also working to cover it up. Once we get past this era of Leftist media, history will not be so kind to Obama and his cronies.

Finally, in some sad news...

BBC:

Raqqa: US coalition 'wiped city off Earth', Russia says

Russia has accused the US-led coalition of bombing the Syrian city of Raqqa "off the face of the earth" during the fight against so-called Islamic State.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, took Raqqa last week.

Pictures suggest much of Raqqa is in ruins, and Moscow compared it to the Allied destruction of the German city of Dresden in World War Two.

Raqqa (hat tip to Al Jazeera for the pic)

The US-led coalition says it tried to minimise risks to civilians.

Russia has itself been accused of committing war crimes for its bombardment of Aleppo last year.

UN war crimes investigators in June that there had been a "staggering loss of civilian life" in Raqqa.

Syrian activists say between 1,130 and 1,873 civilians were killed and that many of the civilian casualties were the result of the intense US-led air strikes that helped the SDF, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, advance.

Over a thousand civilians dead, and nobody is talking about this? While there has been news coverage, it has taken a back seat to the GAO report and stories about tax reform and North Korea.

Jimmy Carter, North Korea, and Duct Tape: Today's News for October 23rd

Daily Wire:

Jimmy Carter Unleashed: 

Russians Didn't Alter Election, Obama Didn't Deliver, We Didn't Vote For Hillary

At 93, Jimmy Carter is cutting loose.

The former president sat down with The New York Times recently and chatted about all kinds of subjects. The Times decided to play up the fact that Carter — one of the worst presidents in U.S. history — would love to go over to North Korea as an envoy.

But the Times is steadily proving how out of touch it is, and how it no longer seems to actually "get" what real news is.

So what does Carter think?

Carter was asked "Did the Russians purloin the election from Hillary?"

"I don’t think there’s any evidence that what the Russians did changed enough votes — or any votes," Carter said.

At least Carter isn't as loony as some Leftists, like his wife:

Carter and his wife, Roselyn, disagreed on the Russia question. In the interview, she "looked over archly [and said] 'They obviously did'" purloin the election.

“Rosie and I have a difference of opinion on that,” Carter said.

But that is where Jimmy's sanity ended:

Which prompted Carter to note that during the primary, they didn't vote for Hillary Clinton. "We voted for Sanders.” 

However, Carter has managed some connection with reality:

A recent Harvard study showed that 93% of new coverage about President Trump is negative.

But here's another shocker: Carter defended Trump.

"I think the media have been harder on Trump than any other president certainly that I've known about," Carter said. "I think they feel free to claim that Trump is mentally deranged and everything else without hesitation." 

Where Carter truly shines is in his solution to the whole controversy about NFL players kneeling:

Carter, who joined the other four living ex-presidents on Saturday for a hurricane fundraiser, put his hand on his heart when the national anthem played — and he has a strong opinion about what NFL players should do, too.

"I think they ought to find a different way to object, to demonstrate," he said. " I would rather see all the players stand during the American anthem." 

Sadly, the New York Times is correct in pointing to Carter's potential conflict of interest in his desire to negotiate with the North Koreans on behalf of the Trump administration. But knowing Carter, his motives are likely altruistic. He may have been an awful president, and his politics show it, but he has never shown himself to be a glory hound.

Speaking of North Korea, the big story on most media outlets today is:

Defense One:

EXCLUSIVE: US Preparing to Put Nuclear Bombers Back on 24-Hour Alert

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. —  The U.S. Air Force is preparing to put nuclear-armed bombers back on 24-hour ready alert, a status not seen since the Cold War ended in 1991.

That means the long-dormant concrete pads at the ends of this base’s 11,000-foot runway — dubbed the “Christmas tree” for their angular markings — could once again find several B-52s parked on them, laden with nuclear weapons and set to take off at a moment’s notice.

“This is yet one more step in ensuring that we’re prepared,” Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force chief of staff, said in an interview during his six-day tour of Barksdale and other U.S. Air Force bases that support the nuclear mission. “I look at it more as not planning for any specific event, but more for the reality of the global situation we find ourselves in and how we ensure we’re prepared going forward.”

Goldfein and other senior defense officials stressed that the alert order had not been given, but that preparations were under way in anticipation that it might come. That decision would be made by Gen. John Hyten, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, or Gen. Lori Robinson, the head of U.S. Northern Command. STRATCOM is in charge of the military’s nuclear forces and NORTHCOM is in charge of defending North America.

Notice they haven't actually initiated the alert status. They are just preparing for it.

Surprisingly, CNN's uber-Leftist analyst Stephen Collinson actually makes the unintentional case for this being a whole nothing burger:

There are no immediate signs that the administration is preparing for military action, for instance through evacuations of US military families in South Korea, or with a buildup of troops or materiel.

This is all just so much talk to scare the North Koreans. Move along, nothing to see here...

New York Daily News:

Substitute teacher duct tapes students’ mouths at Texas elementary school

A substitute teacher was barred from a Texas elementary school after students reported that the educator put duct tape over their mouths.

Carmello Brooks, a fifth grader at Maxdale Elementary School, told his mother he ripped the first strip of duct tape off his face, only to have the substitute return and put another over his mouth, the Killeen Daily Herald reported.

He said he and 12 other students sat with their mouths covered for at least 15 minutes.

During class Thursday at the Killeen school, the substitute — whose name was not released — allegedly duct taped the mouths of 10 students and ordered three others to do it themselves, according to a news release from the Killeen Independent School District.

A teacher across the hallway heard the commotion coming from the classroom and went to check in on the children.
 
All of the students involved were taken to the nurse's office as soon as school officials learned of the incident. They were uninjured and able to return to class the same day, school district spokesmen Terry Abott told KWTX.

Of course they were uninjured. This may be the most incredible solution to talking in class that has ever been created.

Instead of running this teacher out of the school, they should promote her to full time, and give her an award for advancing education in this country (I am thinking the Presidential Medal of Freedom is appropriate).

Then they should hand out rolls of duct tape to all their teachers.

Weekly Finale: Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"

For this week's musical finale, we honor the 40th anniversary of the plane crash which killed two of the band's members. From Fox News:

Friday marks the 40th anniversary of one of classic rock music’s greatest tragedies – the crash of the plane carrying the Southern band Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Killed in the crash on Oct. 20, 1977, were founder and lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, singer Cassie Gaines, plus members of the plane crew.

Other members of the band survived with various injuries – and eventually reformed the band, with Van Zant’s younger brother, Johnny, as lead singer...

The Jacksonville, Fla., band – known primarily for the songs “Freebird” and “Sweet Home Alabama” -- still tours today under the Skynyrd name.

The name was inspired by Leonard Skinner, who was a high school teacher of several band members.

But guitarist Gary Rossington is the only remaining member from the band’s classic lineup. Past members Allen Collins, Billy Powell and Leon Wilkeson have died, and drummer Artimus Pyle is estranged from his former bandmates.

I could spend all day talking about Lynyrd Skynyrd's music. Nearly all of it is worthy of covers, or even just a pleasant day listening. If there was ever a band which epitomized the Southern Rock genre, it was Lynyrd Skynyrd.

If I had to pick one song which sums up the musical greatness of Lynyrd Skynyrd, I would have to pick "Sweet Home Alabama":



The beauty of "Sweet Home Alabama" is that it captures a unique quality that only certain southerners possess, and that is the ability to be laid back and furious at the same time. The song was written as a protest of Neil Young's songs "Southern Man" and "Alabama". Personally, I have never been a big Neil Young fan, as his music tends to be too preachy and not very musically appealing. Or, as "Sweet Home Alabama" so eloquently puts it:

Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow

Never let it be said that I don't give you folks covers, and "Sweet Home Alabama" has been covered by one of the most unusual cover bands I have ever seen, Leningrad Cowboys:


That is all for me this week. I will return Monday with more blogging. Whether you are in Alabama, Leningrad, or somewhere else, enjoy your weekend.

Politicians Behaving Badly: Today's News for October 20th

CNN:

Bush, Obama blasts will be water off Trump's back

The Presidents club is turning on its newest member.

Breaking the code of silence that retired commanders in chief normally maintain about their successors, both George W. Bush and Barack Obama delivered clear jabs at the current occupant of the Oval Office on Thursday.

...In New York, Bush delivered a strong indictment of Trump's populist nationalism, condemning trade protectionism and bemoaning how politics had fallen prey to "conspiracy theories" and "outright fabrication." He also warned of the impact of "bullying and prejudice" in public life. It was not hard to work out who he was talking about in one of his most vehement interventions in politics since he left office in January 2009.

Because it wasn't like Bush himself didn't face any bullying from the Left. Frankly, brutal political discourse is nothing new, and Bush faced more than his fair share of it. So there is no irony that he would come out against it. By the way, is Bush talking ONLY about Trump? Only a Leftist tool like CNN's Stephen Collinson (writer of this editorial) could ignore the broader implications of Bush's attack.

As for Obama:

Obama, at the first campaign appearances of his post-presidency, warned about the tone and content of Trump-style politics -- after spending several weeks watching Trump undermine his proudest achievements including the Iran nuclear deal and the Affordable Care Act.

Apparently referring to the President's handling of racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and sluggish condemnation of white supremacists, Obama lamented the "same old politics of division" while campaigning for New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy.

"Some of the politics we see now, we thought we had put that to bed," Obama said. "That's folks looking 50 years back. It's the 21st Century, not the 19th Century."

In a second campaign stop in Virginia, Obama took aim at the methods Trump used to win the election.

"We've got folks who are deliberately trying to make folks angry -- to demonize people who have different ideas; to get the base all riled up because it provides a short-term tactical advantage," Obama said, again without specifically naming the President.

Pot, meet kettle. Obama has spent an entire career demonizing Republicans, aka those "people who have different ideas". His signature achievement was done without Republican support.

By the way, even if you assume that Bush and Obama are attacking Trump, exactly what credibility do these two failures have? Bush started the never ending war on Islam, and Obama continued it. Note they are only complaining about how Trump talks, and not what he does, which is continuing their failed foreign policies. As for their economic policies, Bush tanked the economy, and Obama's economic malaise is still with us. Neither of these presidents has a record of success on which to support credibility.

Speaking of politicians who need to go away...

Politico:

Frail and disoriented, Cochran says he's not retiring

Mississippi GOP Sen. Thad Cochran insists that he is not retiring from Congress, despite widespread speculation about the veteran lawmaker’s health and political future.

The 79-year-old Cochran appeared frail and at times disoriented during a brief hallway interview on Wednesday. He was unable to answer whether he would remain chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and at one point, needed a staffer to remind him where the Senate chamber is located.

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” Cochran said in a low voice when asked whether he plans to retire after 44 years in office.

However, when queried about whether he would stay on as Appropriations chairman, Cochran seemed confused and just repeated the question. “As chairman of the Appropriations Committee?” Cochran asked.

Cochran had to be guided by staffers around a security checkpoint inside the Capitol. He started to walk into a first-floor room — though the Senate chamber is on the second floor. He was then ushered by an aide up to the Senate.

When another reporter asked whether leadership had pressured Cochran to return for a vote on the budget resolution — a key moment in the tax reform debate — Cochran smiled and responded, “It’s a beautiful day outside.”

Cochran sat quietly in his seat during Wednesday's lengthy vote session. He smiled and responded when a fellow senator stopped by to offer greetings, but generally did not speak to anyone else.

On one amendment, Cochran voted “yes” despite being told by an aide to vote “no.” The staffer tried to get the senator to switch his vote, but Cochran kept flashing the “thumbs up” sign, even walking over to the clerk tallying the vote and doing so. GOP floor staffers repeatedly told him the leadership wanted a "no" vote. Several more moments passed before Cochran realized he was voting the wrong way and then changed his vote.

If you need the definition of "too old to hold political office", it is Thad Cochran. He deserves the bear today:

The Catalan Revolution Begins: Today's News for October 19th

(Carles Puigdemont, President of Catalonia)
Bloomberg:

Spanish Government to Proceed With Suspending Catalan Autonomy

Spain will move forward with the process of suspending the powers of the Catalan government after Regional President Carles Puigdemont refused to drop his claim to independence, Bloomberg News reports.

“The government will continue with the procedures set out in Article 155 of the Constitution to restore the legality of self-rule in Catalonia,” the government said in a statement.

In other words, "to restore the legality of self-rule in Catalonia", the Spanish government will deny Catalonia's self-rule.

George Orwell is spinning in his grave.

This is what we get when government takes actions presumably in our "best interests", but in reality it is in THEIR best interests.

Case in point:

The New Yorker:

Why Are Prosecutors Putting Innocent Witnesses in Jail?

Across America, some prosecutors—arguably with the authority of state and federal laws—are jailing innocent crime victims and witnesses, in hopes of insuring their testimony in court. In Washington State, a sexual-assault victim was arrested and jailed to secure her testimony against the alleged perpetrator. (He was found guilty of kidnapping, attempted rape, and assault with sexual motivation.) In Hillsboro, Oregon, a Mexican immigrant was jailed for more than two years—nine hundred and five days—to obtain his testimony in a murder case. (The case was being brought against his son.) And in Harris County, Texas, a rape survivor suffered a mental breakdown in court while testifying against her assailant. Afraid that the woman would disappear before finishing her testimony, the court jailed her for a month. She has since filed a federal lawsuit against the county and several individuals involved, alleging that she was “abused, neglected, and mentally tortured” while in detention.

The use of imprisonment to compel a witness to testify is the use of force against someone who may or may not be innocent. On the surface, this appears to be a crime in itself.

But consider the history:

The right to jail these so-called material witnesses has deep roots in America. (A material witness is an individual considered vital to a case, often because he or she saw a crime unfold or was its victim.) As early as 1789, the Judiciary Act codified the duty of witnesses to appear before the court and testify. From a public-safety perspective, the statute has a clear purpose: the perpetrator of a crime should not escape punishment because of a witness’s reluctance to testify. “The duty to disclose knowledge of crime rests upon all citizens,” a 1953 U.S. Supreme Court opinion, in the case Stein v. New York, reads. “It is so vital that one known to be innocent may be detained, in the absence of bail, as a material witness.” In 1984, Congress reaffirmed the right to jail material witnesses, but also noted that their testimony should be secured by deposition, rather than imprisonment, “whenever possible.” Jailing crime survivors and innocent witnesses, in other words, was legal but undesirable.

After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Attorney General John Ashcroft identified the material-witness statute as a convenient weapon for the war on terror. Federal agents could use it to detain individuals of interest, even without sufficient evidence to arrest them as criminal defendants, by deeming them “witnesses” to terrorism-related crimes. In late 2001, the Department of Justice used material-witness laws to target Muslims, often arresting them at gunpoint and later placing some in solitary confinement. According to Human Rights Watch, the U.S. government eventually apologized to at least thirteen people for wrongful detention as material witnesses, and released dozens more without charges. “Holding as ‘witnesses’ people who are in fact suspects sets a disturbing precedent for future use of this extraordinary government power to deprive citizens and others of their liberty,” Human Rights Watch argued. In the face of lawsuits and public scrutiny, the practice slowed.

Recently, however, controversy over the use of material-witness statutes has resurfaced—this time at the state and local level. In parts of the country, prosecutors are using these orders to put crime victims—especially poor victims, and, in cities like New Orleans, victims of color—in jail in order to get swift victories in court, sometimes, puzzlingly, in minor cases.

While most would agree it is our civic duty to testify when we have witnessed a crime, the enforcement of civic duties with threat of criminal offense is comparable to pointing a gun to someone's head and forcing them to vote. The worst part of this is there is no limit to how long you can hold someone in jail for not testifying, clearly violating the Constitution's 8th Amendment.

In other news...

The Globe and Mail:

Quebec bans face covering in public services, raising worries among Muslims

Quebec has adopted a law that will force people to show their faces when taking the bus or borrowing a book from the library, pushing ahead with legislation that is being criticized for targeting Muslim Canadian women.

Bill 62, which the Justice Minister described as a North American first, requires one's face to be uncovered when giving or receiving public services. The law marks the outcome of a contentious, decade-long debate about the place of religious minorities in Quebec.

Finally, there is recognition of the fact these facial coverings are nothing more than Islam's inherent sexism. "This is part of their culture" is no excuse for misogyny. It is ok to reject parts of another culture which are based on archaic practices, especially when those practices deny human rights.

Speaking of finally, our last news today...

Think Progress:

Gubernatorial candidate omits black running mate from campaign fliers

With less than three weeks to go before Virginia voters elect a new governor, Democratic nominee Ralph Northam sent out a campaign flier this week promoting the top of the party’s ticket that omitted the name and picture of Justin Fairfax, his black running mate.

The decision to remove Fairfax, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, came at the request of officials at Laborers’ International Union of North America, or LiUNA, who decided against endorsing Fairfax because of his refusal to support pet projects backed by the union, including two natural gas pipelines that are proposed to cross Virginia.

While this story was covered by the Washington Post, where is the rest of the mainstream media? The Post has to cover it,because it is a local story to them.

If this were the Republican Party doing this, you would hear this screamed nationwide, with the New York Times and CNN harping on it for days. But since it involves the Democrats, not a peep.

There comes a point where loyalty to a group for ideological reasons loses its meaning when the group does something against those reasons. The media needs to hold the Democrats as accountable as they do the Republicans, or else their ideology becomes nothing more than political cheerleading.

Your Papers Please? Today's News for October 18th

Daily Mail:

Why residents in some American states may soon need a passport for domestic air travel

They were previously allowed to use mere driving licenses.

But residents of some US states will soon require additional ID, such as passports, if they wish to embark on air travel - even if just domestically.

That's the new procedure on the horizon for people from states that have not yet introduced the standards required by the 2005 Real ID Act, which demands stricter regulations for state-issued IDs.

The states that haven't yet fallen into line each now have a grace period of three months to meet the revised criteria.

This deadline expires on 22 January 2018.

Travellers from states that miss the deadline will risk being detained at airport security and prevented from boarding flights if they don't have a passport or other TSA-approved form of identification, such as a green card, border crossing card or military ID.

This includes both international and domestic journeys.

Have you noticed how the U.S. has become ID obsessed?

Remember the old movies which showed some Soviet soldier demanding papers from civilians? Welcome to the USSA.

Regardless, January should be fun.

In other news...

The Hill:

Obama's DOJ slow-walked probe despite national security concerns

In their recent article in The Hill, John Solomon and Alison Spann reported on the Obama Justice Department's slow-walk investigation of Moscow's bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering "designed to grow Vladimir Putin's atomic energy business inside the United States."

Obama administration figures involved in the 2009-15 investigation include Robert Mueller, James Comey, Rod Rosenstein and Andrew McCabe - all of whom are involved in some fashion in the current investigation of President Donald Trump's alleged collusion with Russia.

Despite extensive information as early as 2009 that Moscow had compromised an American uranium trucking firm and that Russian nuclear officials had routed millions of dollars to benefit former President Bill Clinton's charitable foundation, Hillary Clinton's State Department and other government agencies on the Committee on Foreign Investment (including Attorney General Eric Holder) unanimously approved the partial sale of the Canadian mining company, Uranium One, to the Russian nuclear giant Rosatom in October 2010.

Multiple current and former government officials told The Hill they did not know whether the FBI or DOJ ever alerted committee members to the apparent Russian criminal activity. Likewise, major congressional figures were also kept in the dark.

The New York Times reported the Clinton Foundation bribe from the Russians in April 2015, and yet there was no outrage over it. If the media treated the Obama administration like they do Trump, Obama would have been run out of office or Clinton would have been in jail before she could have even run for office. Instead, the media ignored the story after the initial report.

Finally, in local Georgia news...

CNN:

Georgia GOP gubernatorial hopeful to hold bump fire stock giveaway

Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Michael Williams says he will give away a bump fire stock to show "solidarity with gun owners across the nation."

The devices, which are also known as bump stocks and allow semi-automatic weapons to fire at a rapid pace, became the focus of a public debate on gun violence in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, which left 58 people dead. The shooter used bump stocks to increase the carnage, authorities have said.

"The tragedy in Las Vegas broke my heart, but any talk of banning or regulating bump stocks is merely cheap political lip service from career politicians. In reality, the bump stock is the new, shiny object politicians are using to deceive voters into believing they are taking action against gun violence," Williams, a Georgia state senator, said in a statement. "Many firearms experts determined the Las Vegas shooter's use of a bump stock actually prevented more casualties and injuries due to its inconsistency, inaccuracy, and lack of control."

Disclaimer: I am against gun control in any form.

That said, I find this political stunt rather distasteful. Then again, creating legislation during a period of intense emotions is inherently dangerous.

ISIS Falls: Today's News for October 17th

Independent:

Isis completely driven out of Syria 'capital' by US-backed forces

US-backed militias have completely taken Isis' de facto capital, Raqqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday, in a major symbolic blow to the jihadist group.

The fall of Raqqa, where Isis staged euphoric parades after its string of lightning victories in 2014, is a potent symbol of the movement's collapsing fortunes. The city was used as a base for the group to plan attacks abroad.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias backed by a US-led international alliance, has been fighting Isis inside Raqqa since June.

It is rare that simply backing militias works this well. This speaks volumes to the SDF's determination and organization.

As for ISIS, the rest is just clean-up duty.

In other news...

The Guardian:

Madrid jails Catalan separatist leaders pending investigation

Spain has signalled a hardening line over Catalonia by jailing the leaders of two of the largest separatist organisations in a move seen as taking Madrid closer to imposing central rule over Catalonia.

In the first imprisonment of senior secessionist figures since Catalonia’s 1 October independence referendum, the court ordered the heads of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and independence group Omnium to be held without bail pending an investigation for alleged sedition.

Prosecutors said that the ANC’s Jordi Sànchez and Omnium’s Jordi Cuixart played central roles in orchestrating pro-independence protests that last month trapped national police inside a Barcelona building and destroyed their vehicles.

Around 200 people flocked to the Catalan government’s headquarters in Barcelona on Monday in a peaceful show of support for both men, with some chanting “Freedom” and waving “Democracy” banners.

The ANC, which has organised protests of hundreds of thousands of secessionists in the past, called for further peaceful demonstrations around Catalonia on Tuesday.

The Catalan regional president, Carles Puigdemont, commented on Twitter: “Spain jails Catalonia’s civil society leaders for organising peaceful demonstrations. Sadly, we have political prisoners again” – an allusion to Spain’s military dictatorship under Francisco Franco.

You are no longer a democracy or a republic when your central government behaves this way.

The sad part about this is that this conflict could be neutralized with a simple good faith effort by the Spanish government. Instead, this is likely to escalate into bloodshed.

Finally, in the fake news story of the day...

Business Insider:

New memo suggests Russian lawyer at Trump Tower meeting 

was acting 'as an agent' of the Kremlin

The Russian lawyer who met with President Donald Trump's son, son-in-law, and campaign chairman last June at Trump Tower brought a memo with her to that meeting that contained many of the same talking points as one written by the Russian prosecutor's office two months earlier.

The memo Natalia Veselnitskaya provided to the Trump campaign last year focused on banker-turned-human rights activist Bill Browder, whose reputation has become inextricably linked to the global human-rights campaign he launched in 2009 after tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky died in a Russian prison.

...Browder told Business Insider on Monday that "the Veselnitskaya memo has exactly the same talking points as the Russian government's position on the Magnitsky case."

"That is the strongest indication to date that Veselnitskaya is an agent of the Russian government and not some independent operator as she claims," he said. 

"Agent" is a very loaded word. The definition that applies here is "one who is authorized to act for or in the place of another". It is not "one engaged in undercover activities (such as espionage)". But in this whole Russiagate silliness, that is likely the takeaway by most Leftist readers.

The problem with the "spy" definition is that Veselnitskaya was never covert about her intent to try and sell Trump's representatives about the need to get rid of the Magnitsky Act, except possibly in her reasons given for the meeting, being some kind of info about potentially illegal contributions being given to the Clinton campaign, which the idiot son Donald Trump Jr. fell for completely.

The more proper definition of what Veselnitskaya was doing was acting as a lobbyist for the Russian government. But "agent" does work, as long as you remove the James Bond aspects from it.

But there is nothing illegal about giving a false reason for a meeting, or even having a meeting. Since nothing ever came from the meeting, this investigation is a dead end. Someone needs to tell Business Insider this horse is dead.

Around the World: Today's News for October 16th

CNN:

Tillerson on North Korea: Diplomacy will continue 'until the first bomb drops'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday his diplomatic efforts will continue as long as they possibly can despite the saber-rattling on both sides of the Pacific.

"Those diplomatic efforts will continue until the first bomb drops," Tillerson said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Yogi Berra couldn't have said it better.

Over in Europe...

Express:

Austria election RESULTS: 

Eurosceptic Sebastian Kurz declares VICTORY in nightmare for EU

Sebastian Kurz has declared victory in the Austrian elections following the latest vote projections, which could see him form an alliance with the far-right in a crushing blow for the European Union (EU).

The People’s Party (OVP) got 31.6 per cent of the vote, according to exit polls from pollster SORA. 

Mr Kurz's party is tough on migration, easy on taxes and widely Eurosceptic after rebranding itself over the last few months to propel its popularity in the wealthy Alpine nation.

The 31-year-old is expected to form a coalition with the right-wing populist Freedom Party (FPO), founded by a former SS officer, who got 26.9 per cent of the vote, according to the latest projections.

Speaking after 85 per cent of the votes were counted, Mr Kurz told his cheering supporters: "Today we have won a huge mandate to change this country, and I promise you I will work with all my energy for change.

"We want to establish a new culture in politics. And we want to change the country for the better.”

The Social Democratic Party, the largest party in the last government, are in third place with 26 per cent. 

How many elections does the Left have to lose before they realize they suck?

In another part of Europe...

Associated Press (via Yahoo News):

Yes or No? Catalan separatists face critical answer to Spain

Catalonia's president is facing a critical decision that could determine the course of the region's secessionist movement to break away from Spain.

The Spanish government has given Carles Puigdemont until Monday morning to clarify if he did or didn't actually declare independence earlier this week.

Puigdemont told Catalan lawmakers Tuesday that he had "accepted" a mandate for independence based on the results of a disputed referendum, but that he wanted parliament to delay its implementation "for a few weeks" to give one last chance to open negotiations with Spain.

If Puigdemont replies "Yes" to Madrid on Monday, then Spain's government has given him until Thursday to back down or else Catalonia's ample self-rule could be temporarily suspended.

But if Puigdemont replies "No," he will likely face rebellion from hardliners inside the secessionist camp which could topple his government and force a regional election for Catalonia. The far-left CUP party said on Saturday that it will withdraw its key support from Puigdemont's government if he fails to make a firm statement for a declaration of independence and deliver on that promise in the regional parliament.

There is only one good answer for Puigdemont, and that is "yes". From a historical perspective, rebels and people who speak truth to power tend to be remembered with reverence (i.e. Winston Churchill and Che Guevera). Leaders who go along to get along get lumped in with Neville Chamberlain.

Regardless of what he decides, Puigdemont's situation is unenviable. But there will almost certainly be a Spanish civil war at the end of this. Puigdemont just has to decide which side he takes.

Weekly Finale: Valerie Ghent

Welcome to another weekly musical finale.

A basic rule of thumb I have is if a musician follows me on Twitter, I will give their music a listen. Needless to say, they aren't always impressive. Occasionally, one impresses me with more than one song. Valerie Ghent is an impressive one.

Ghent's music is clearly descended from the New York City music scene, as evidenced by her song "New York City Streets":



Her vocals are solid and smooth, similar to Sade, although Ghent doesn't quite have Sade's pipes and range. There are some songs where Ghent tries to hit high notes that will make you cringe. One of those songs which she ruins that way is "Get Funkay", which starts out like it's going to be fun until she hits the chalkboard-scratching note (about 30 seconds into it):



Fortunately, she doesn't try vocal gymnastics too much, and stays within her range on most songs. One of her better efforts recently was her cover of Ben E. King's "Supernatural Thing":



Speaking of Ben E. King's version, here it is:



I won't say which version is better, as both Ghent and King have their virtues with the song. King's version is a little slower and more relaxed (dare I call it "cooler"?), whereas Ghent's version is a little more upbeat.

That is all for me this week. Have a great weekend, and come back here Monday for more blogging goodness.

Trump Declares War on Obamacare: Today's News for October 13th

CNN:

Trump will end health care cost-sharing subsidies

President Donald Trump plans to end a key set of Obamacare subsidies that helped lower-income enrollees pay for health care, the White House said Thursday, a dramatic move that raises questions about the law's future.

The late-night announcement is part of Trump's aggressive push to dismantle aspects of his predecessor's signature health law after several failed attempts by Congress to repeal it earlier this year.

It also puts the spotlight back on Congress, where lawmakers in both parties have urged the administration to continue the payments to stabilize the Obamacare markets in the short term.

While senior congressional Republicans oppose the payments themselves -- they sued the Obama administration to stop them and have tried for years to repeal the underlying law altogether -- there's recognition of what ending them suddenly could do to the millions of Americans insured through the Obamacare exchanges.

Democrats have repeatedly pressed the administration for a longer term commitment that the payments would be made, but Trump has directed his advisers to keep them on a month-to-month basis, in part for negotiating leverage, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions.

Is Trump actually planning to end the subsidies? Or is this a bluff? Keeping "them on a month-to-month basis" sounds more like a negotiating ploy than an actual plan to end them.

On the other hand, nowhere in this article, or any of the other articles in other media sources covering this story, is there any indication that the subsidies are REQUIRED under the law. It seems the subsidies are allowed to be paid under the law, but they aren't required. That is an important distinction, which is the difference indicating Trump's action's legality.

By the way, before you listen to all the gloom and doom and massive numbers of people losing health insurance, consider this part of the story:

Obamacare enrollees eligible to receive premium subsidies, which are not affected by Trump's move, will continue to get discounted rates. But those who don't could see their costs skyrocket again next year.

The poor and low income will still have their health insurance subsidized.

But there is an important aspect to Obamacare which President Trump actually fixed Thursday:

Real Clear Politics:

Trump Signs Executive Order On Health Care: "Will Cost Government Virtually Nothing"

The president signed an executive order "to promote healthcare choice and competition" Thursday morning at the White House.

It is said to expand access to "association health plans" – group plans written by trade associations, small businesses, and other groups. Such large group plans do not have to abide by all the requirements of individual plans under 'Obamacare.' The order also tasks administration officials to develop policies to increase competition in the health insurance industry.

..."We’re going to have great health care across state lines," Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Wednesday night. "People can buy it. It will cost the government nothing."

If Trump has actually done this, and it has been one of the Right's health care wishes for many years, this will be huge. Sadly, it only applies to part of the health insurance market.

In other news...

Raw Story:

National guardswoman confronted by racial slur-hurling white man speaks out: 

‘I will continue to stand tall’

Gem Aimable, a 19-year-old Army National Guard private, was in uniform when a white man she cut off in traffic followed her multiple blocks to accost her. It was the first time someone had ever called her the n-word to her face in her 19 years, and after a friend shared her ordeal on Twitter, she soon went viral.

“[The man] told me to never forget that I am nothing but a n**ger and that us n**gers do not deserve to serve this very country and to take off my uniform and to kill myself,” Aimable wrote in her post on October 10.

In an interview with Raw Story, Aimable has spoken out about the incident, about those who believe protesting racism is unpatriotic, and about moving forward.

When the man first confronted her with the racial slur, Aimable said that her initial response was one of anger, and then of fear.

“I wanted to fight him. I wanted to make him take those words back,” she told Raw Story. “I also remembered that I am in uniform and I must conduct myself accordingly. Also, I, as an African American or a n**ger in his sense, I tend to be stereotyped as violent, so why fulfill their stereotypes?”

Though it was her first brush with such violent racism, Aimable said that living as an African American with the country’s current race relations has weighed heavy on her.

“With this uniform comes a lot of power and responsibilities,” she said. “There are moments were I wish I could join friends in protest. Instead, I write poetry on equality for all especially the LGBT community and poetry on racism.”

There is a lot in this story.

First, let's start with the fact, which the story makes, that she cut him off. So she caused a road rage incident. When people are angry, especially when dealing with complete strangers, they are likely to say things they would never say normally, strictly to hurt feelings. This is not a case of some random stranger walking up to her on the street and tossing racial slurs at her. This is a case of she did something wrong and earned the fury she received.

Second, does road rage merit racism? One can reasonably argue that racism should never be used in any situation. This guy crossed the line, even if he did have a valid reason to do it. Road rage doesn't validate pulling a gun and shooting someone, nor does it validate racist comments. She was wrong, but so was he.

Third, while this story does prove that racism exists, there is another aspect to consider: "It was the first time someone had ever called her the n-word to her face in her 19 years". 60 years ago, I doubt there was a 19 year old black person in America who could have made that statement. Contrary to the "America is racist" argument, it also needs to be admitted that things are much better than they were.

Finally, we have to give Aimable her props: Faced with overt and malicious racism, she quietly took it. Regardless of why, she defused the situation by not reacting to it. This situation could have had an ugly ending if she had reacted angrily to it. She was clearly the better person. If you ever need to understand why "turning the other cheek" is a valid strategy, look no further than this story.

The Weinstein Story: Today's News for October 12th

(hat tip to Variety for the pic)

Time to dip into the Harvey Weinstein story...

Fox News:

Harvey Weinstein accusations cause chaos in Hollywood

Hollywood is in chaos, and all because of one man: Harvey Weinstein.

Multiple allegations of rape, sexual harassment and trading sex for movie roles have forced one of the most powerful men in show business out of his company and begging for help and forgiveness.

But the ripples extending from the wake of Weinstein’s dramatic fall extend much further than his business and personal relationships and so far show no signs of abating.

From the women he allegedly abused, to the associates who allegedly knew about his behavior all along but stayed silent, to the A-list actors and actresses who depend on him for their career-making roles, many of the biggest Tinseltown titans are wondering what their lives — and show business itself —  will look like in a post-Weinstein town.

Weinstein has long been a supporter of Leftist politicians and causes, so the Right-wing media is having a blast with this story. This almost reads like one of CNN's Trump-Russia stories, except for the fact we have actual people with direct knowledge of Weinstein's behavior stepping forward.

Now, many stars, including but not limited to, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Rose McGowan, have come out and accused Weinstein of incidents of sexual harassment and even rape. (The full list of his accusers is here.)

Apparently, Weinstein's illicit behavior has been rumored in Hollywood for awhile:

In 2013, Seth MacFarlane joked during the Academy Awards nomination press conference that the five best supporting actress nominees “no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein.” His co-presenter Emma Stone uncomfortably laughed at his punchline.

...Ewan McGregor alleged on Wednesday via Twitter that it was a known Hollywood secret writing, “It's about time this came to light and he is getting [his] just deserts. Heard rumours over the years but this is awful. Bye Bully!"

But the big reason the right is dancing on the grave of Weinstein's reputation is his connections to Democratic Party politicians:

CNN:

Clinton 'sick,' 'shocked' and 'appalled' by Weinstein allegations

Hillary Clinton said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that she will donate the money Harvey Weinstein contributed to her political campaigns after multiple sexual assault allegations were leveled against the powerful Hollywood mogul.

Clinton, in an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria as part of her ongoing book tour, said she was "sick" and "shocked" when she found out about the sexual assault allegations, first revealed in a bombshell report by The New York Times and then further reported in a detailed report by The New Yorker.

"I was appalled. It was something that was just intolerable in every way," she said. "And, you know, like so many people who've come forward and spoken out, this was a different side of a person who I and many others had known in the past." 

Ironically, she could just as easily have made these comments about her husband decades ago. But she knows whose coattails she is riding.

This is typical Left-wing behavior, excusing the illicit behavior of those on their side of the political spectrum. It has been obvious since the National Organization for Women overlooked Bill Clinton's predatory sexual behavior back in the 1990's.

Even the New York Times, which broke the story, has been accused of burying it before:

Vulture:

Ex–New York Times Reporter Claims Harvey Weinstein Pressured Matt Damon and Russell Crowe to Help Kill a 2004 Story; NYT Denies

Though the New York Times has been widely celebrated for its article exposing decades of sexual-harassment accusations against Harvey Weinstein, one journalist claims the paper sat on an earlier article detailing the producer’s misconduct. Sharon Waxman, founder of the Wrap, writes that her own investigative reporting, which took her on an international trip to uncover rumors of Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, was cut from the Times in 2004 under pressure from several Hollywood elites. Waxman alleges in the Wrap that Matt Damon and Russell Crowe called her “directly” to dispel the reports she was following about Miramax’s Italian head Fabrizio Lombardo, who was allegedly hired “to take care of Weinstein’s women needs.” She says that because of their influence, and interference from Weinstein, whose company was a big advertiser in the Times, the article was edited to remove the more salacious details. Damon and Crowe had previously worked with Weinstein on pictures like Good Will Hunting, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and Cinderella Man.

We can only hope that women will see that nobody, not even beloved Leftist icons like Weinstein, is above being held accountable for their illegal and immoral behavior. It is especially good to see that even a Leftist rag like the New York Times is ready to practice what they preach.

Now that Hollywood is in the media spotlight for sexual harassment, another famous person has become accused:

CNN:

Ben Affleck apologizes for groping Hilarie Burton on camera

Ben Affleck has apologized for groping Hilarie Burton during an appearance on MTV's "Total Request Live" years ago.

The incident took place when Burton, who recurs on Fox's "Lethal Weapon," was a co-host on MTV's "Total Request Live," a daily music video countdown that ran for ten years until 2008 and was recently revived by the network.

"I acted inappropriately toward Ms. Burton and I sincerely apologize," Affleck wrote on Twitter.

Video of the incident resurfaced Wednesday after Affleck joined a chorus of others in denouncing the actions of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who stands accused of numerous incidents of sexual harassment and three incidents of rape.

Aside from hypocrisy, Affleck got accused of a bit more:

Mediaite:

Rose McGowan Calls Out Ben Affleck and Weinstein’s Brother: ‘They All Knew’

Actress and director Rose McGowan called Ben Affleck a liar after the actor released a statement claiming he had no prior knowledge of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct.

McGowan — one of the numerous women to settle with Weinstein — said that Affleck knew about the Hollywood producer’s reported sexual harassment all along, but chose not to speak up about it.

More specifically, the Scream and Charmed actress said Affleck responded to McGowan’s sexual assault allegations against Weinstein by saying, “Goddamnit! I told him to stop doing that!” — which would suggest he knew something even before McGowan came forward.

“You said that to my face. The press [conference] I was made to go to after assault. You lie. Ben Afflec fuck off,” tweeted McGowan. Adding, “You want to play let’s play.”

It is clear that Affleck was covering for one of his own kind, namely another sexual predator. It makes you wonder how many other men in Hollywood were covering for Weinstein because they were doing the same thing themselves?

Wednesday Wisdom: Ron Paul

"One of the worst aspects of the census is its focus on classifying people by race. When government tells us it wants information to help any given group, it assumes every individual who shares certain physical characteristics has the same interests, or wants the same things from government. This is an inherently racist and offensive assumption. The census, like so many federal policies and programs, inflames racism by encouraging Americans to see themselves as members of racial groups fighting each other for a share of the federal pie."--Ron Paul

Kneeling, Fires, and Bots: Today's News for October 11th

Kansas City Star:

Roger Goodell tells NFL owners ‘everyone should stand for the national anthem’

Last year, former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat down and later took a knee during the playing of the national anthem as protest against racial injustice. 

....which doesn't exist in any significant way. There are examples of police injustices towards blacks, but whether they are directed at blacks or would have happened because some police officers act like thugs remains to be seen. But the media coverage of shootings by police officers of black men is way out of proportion with what happened, as the later investigations have shown, and been subsequently ignored by the media.

Continuing:

More players have joined the protests and President Donald Trump spoke out against the activity in September and has continued to do so.

In other words, the players doubled down on stupid, and our president jumped into the fray.

Why would the president care if some overpaid athletes protest? Because the protest is directed at nationalism, which in turn is used by the military-industrial complex to encourage support of our never-ending war on Islam. We cannot have our war effort even remotely questioned, ergo...

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday wrote a letter to all 32 league owners regarding the protests that have taken place during the national anthem, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

In the letter, which Schefter shared on his Facebook page, Goodell wrote that the “current dispute over the National Anthem is threatening to erode the unifying power of our game, and is now dividing us, and our players, from many fans across the country.”

...Goodell would like players to stand, but the national anthem is not mentioned in the NFL rulebook. However, players “should” stand for the anthem, according to the league’s game operation manual.

“Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem,” Goodell wrote. “It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.”

The billionaires have spoken.

In other news...

CNN:

Wildfires claim at least 17 lives in Northern California

Wildfires raging across Northern California have killed at least 17 people, as hundreds of firefighters battle the flames and keep thousands of people away from the blaze's path.

Most of the fires were ignited Sunday, driven by winds of more than 50 mph and dry conditions. With no rain in the forecast this week and a chance of gusts of 35 to 40 mph on Wednesday, forecasters say the weather will create challenges for firefighters.

More than 20,000 people had been ordered to evacuate as of Tuesday night and authorities were encouraging others to pack "ready-to-go bags" with documents and medicines, in case they had to flee the fast-spreading flames on a moment's notice.

This isn't the first time such fires have happened. In fact, economist Thomas Sowell discussed the California fires back in 2007:

As for the flames sweeping across...California, tragic as that is, this has happened time and again before — in the very same places in the very same time of year, just like hurricanes.

Why would people risk building million-dollar homes in the known paths of wildfires? For the same reason that people choose to live in the known paths of hurricanes. Because the government — that is, the taxpayers — will get stuck with a lot of the costs of dealing with those dangers and the costs of rebuilding.

Why is there such a huge amount of inflammable vegetation over such a wide area that fires can reach unstoppable proportions by the time they get to places where people live? Because "open space" has become a political sacred cow beyond rational discussion.

The same severe government restrictions on building that drive home prices sky high also lead to vast areas with nothing but trees and bushes. Where it doesn't rain for months, that's dangerous.

No matter how much open space there is, it is never enough for environmental extremists, who will make political trouble if anyone is allowed to break up those miles and miles of solid vegetation with buildings, even though pavement and masonry don't burn.

In other words, government preserves all the conditions for wildfires and subsidizes people who live in their path.

So when you hear about this "natural catastrophe", just remember that it could have been prevented. But it won't be because...California.

Finally, on Wall Street yesterday...

Tech Crunch:

Dow Jones said that Google was buying Apple, and the bots bought it

[Tuesday] morning Dow Jones shot some fake news out over the wires announcing that Google was acquiring Apple for $9 billion. For a brief second, the news sent Apple’s stock up about $2 to $158 per share. To the benefit of everyone’s morning, both stock prices quickly returned to normal.

The story went something like this. Larry Page and Steve Jobs started discussing an acquisition back in 2010. Jobs outlined the plans in his will, which dictated the sale to close tomorrow. Google would get nine Apple shares for each Google share at a deal value of $9 billion. Insane to a human, logical to a bot.

Dow Jones issued a statement to 9to5Mac, who first reported the drama. The company asserted that the calamity was the product of a technical error and all erroneous headlines would be stripped from the newswire.

But the human reaction wasn’t fast enough for the algos. We can only admire the poorly written rules from a distance. It’s irritating, as it always is, when the curtains get pulled back for a brief moment and we all realize that our financial markets are being run by bots with the intelligence of infants. Keyword search, sentiment analysis, trend identification (certainly caused by other bots) and whatever other magic was at play really don’t cut it when long-tail events like this happen. 

Robots may take over the world someday, but not today.

(hat tip to Fake Posters for the pic)