Friday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Friday, January 26, 2024
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61 comments
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Actor Gary Graham, maybe best remembered for Alien Nation and ST Enterprise, has passed away at age 73. RIP.
The three genders, per one GOP super PAC: Male, working woman and homemaker
They forgot eunuchs.
US growth shatters expectations, boosting Biden’s economic pitch (Politico):
Larry Kudlow Agrees Biden Economy ‘Not as Bad’ as He’s Been Saying (The Daily Beast):
At the end of 2022, some economists were predicting a recession in 2023 with 0.2% growth. Will they ever explain how and why they were so wrong and why they should be taken seriously going forward? Anybody heard from Larry Summers or Jamie Dimon?
@DK:
They’re busy looking for a new supplier of hopium.
Next day reply.
@DrDaveT:
Kid. New toy. What’s so hard to understand about that? 🙂
When I developed various bean soup and chili recipes, I got told over and over to use a pressure cooker for the beans. I still find stove top pressure cookers terrifying, so that’s out. The multi function pot has safeguards, and better yet instructions and warnings. So I’ve tried it and it blew my mind. Not just at how fast it cooked four types of beans and one grain (barley), but how well it all turned out.
I know this is old news to everyone else in the world, but it’s new to me.
So i started looking for other things to cook under pressure. I know about meat, but I still prefer slow cooking. I may try pressure cooking it someday, because why not. Anyway, I ran across pressure cooking rice. also oatmeal, potatoes, eggs, and other things. These seem to me to be 1) easy, 2) quick, and 3) perfectly fine, to cook on a regular pot. So I was intrigued by people who like their kitchen toy that much.
I do wonder if any of these things come out “better,” or at least massively different, when using the instant pot. It seems to me they don’t.
So Larry, are you a lying sack of sht or just plain stupid?
.
The Atlanta Falcons say a big old NO! to Belichik. Going with Raheem Morris instead. Seems like the smart choice to me.
@OzarkHillbilly: Bill comes with a lot of baggage: he demands a greater degree of autonomy, authority, and personnel control than less seasoned coaches.
The word on the ESPN beat is Blank really wanted to hire him, but many on the Falcons’ administrative side did not — not wanting to give up their own influence (or jobs).
There may not be room for Belichick’s style in the modern NFL team structure, unless he’s willing to forgo the kind omnipotence he had under Bob Kraft. Pro teams are not typically built that way anymore. The rise of analytics and moneyball means GMs, scouts and operations people now have more visibility, clout, and imprimatur to dictate to coaching staff.
I don’t know if Bill Belichick is willing to be second-guessed by some 40-year-old, number-crunching exec with a business degree. I’m not seeing it.
According to the NYT, Lauren Boebert and five (5) of her competitors running to represent the 4th Congressional district in Colorado have arrest records.
What a swell bunch.
@CSK:
For readers, here is a link to the NYT article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/us/politics/lauren-boebert-colorado-debate.html
How good or bad this crowd was, and the Times article is thin on facts except in Boebert and one other candidate’s case, depends on what the arrests were for. Was it embezzlement, wife beating, Shoplifting, public intoxication, or something else? Age at the time of the arrest is also important. How many teens have been arrested for shop-lifting? Let’s throw away the keys if anyone is arrested or make them automatically disqualified for office.
Boebert is an idiot, so are lots of people. I try not casting my vote for any of them but it isn’t always avoidable.
@DK:
A significant criticism of BB in the past few years is that his player eval talents were past there sell-by date. Beyond his organizational style that is gone, he’s a short timer, why would a team turn everything over to him? After he tops Shula for wins and gets to another SB, he’d likely retire.
@Bill Jempty:
According to the Denver Post, Lauren’s been arrested 4 times in adulthood. Another candidate, Mike Lynch, was busted for drunken driving and possession of a gun.
@CSK:
Those are the exact two people mentioned in the NYT article. 6 people running for that seat admitted to being arrested. What about details on the other 4?
Perhaps they’ll sell tickets…
Missouri GOP Lawmaker Floats Rule Change to Bring Back Duels
@Bill Jempty:
I don’t know. But why would they admit to being arrested if they hadn’t been? Unless you’ve been busted for participating in a civil rights demo, there’s nothing to be proud of in getting picked up for drunken driving or domestic violence or theft.
Have you been arrested? I haven’t. Nor have the vast majority of people.
@Sleeping Dog: LOL. Wow.
Nothing that exciting was proposed when I worked in the MO Senate as a legislative aide. We did get to hear Sen. Caskey talk about washing day during a filibuster.
Edited to add: For others just hearing about this nonsense, the “Freedom Caucus” nuts in MO are trying to make it harder to pass citizens’ initiative petitions. You know, because nothing says liberty like taking away existing rights…
@Jen:
What would a “metaphorical duel” be?
@CSK: Who knows…these are just clowns looking for headlines. The fact that anyone can, with a straight face say “while the idea of a duel may have been suggested in a metaphorical sense” and still be expected to be taken seriously is beyond me.
@CSK:
@Jen:
I think it’s when both cups are poisoned.
@Kathy: @Kathy:
Or they can pretend to slap each other.
@Mikey: Maybe not hopium as it was 16 years ago, maybe more like abetting a little ur-fascism to keep what they have. Dimon suggested tRump was “kind of right” last week, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/21/jpmorgan-ceo-jamie-dimon-defends-trump Paul Campos at LGM has an interesting post on Doomerism today wherein the supposition is the Elites see future changes as a threat to themselves and fear it as much as do the MAGAts.
@OzarkHillbilly:
This actually is a gender identity. Some (ususally gender non-conforming) trans women or enbies who have had or intend to have orchiectomies but not vaginoplasty identify this way.
@Sleeping Dog: I know as recent as 1980’s, being a participant in a duel was disqualifying if the person wanted to be Governor of Kentucky. Don’t know if that law or constitutional requirement has been changed.
I just passed over an article that was obviously some Republican hit piece on Hunter Biden headlined something like “Hunter Biden Is Trading on His Name” and it just made me realize how disappointed I am that the whole Hunter thing didn’t lead to the next obvious step: an in depth investigation as to just how many Congress Critters and Senior Admin Officials have kids and spouses trading on their connections. 50%? 80%? 99.9%
But I knew it was unlikely to happen. Modern “journalism” is primarily source journalism. Your future promotions are tied to the quality of your sources. If you start to go after a sources kids, they will cut you off and your career is over. Ergo, everyone is content to let blowhards wax indignant and holier-than-thou, despite the fact that every one of their own relatives is living off their connections.
@CSK:
Truthfully I don’t get that question. Shouldn’t it be why would they not admit it if it was true. Oh because of the political fallout if caught in that lie. So admit it and try to move on.
Ever read Radley Balko? Heard the stories of ….. when Black? In Florida here a juror was arrested for not coming to court and how about that courtroom full of traffic court defendants all arrested for failing to appear in court when court officers directed them to the wrong courtroom? The 20-30 or so people all put in handcuffs in Aurora Colorado because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time? How about marijuana possession? Lastly, One of our commenters here, Michael Reynolds, admits to a criminal history.
Get the facts first. Then pass judgment if you want.
Nope
@Bill Jempty:
Mm-hmm. But you see, Boebert and her fellow clown car passengers actually DID the things for which they were arrested. They weren’t the wrong color or in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of their own.
@Sleeping Dog: I say go for it. I would love to see some duels.
Could Two Texas Politicians Really “Duel”? Texas Law Says Yes.
So, Lardass Drumpf stormed out of the courtroom, and his lawyer was sternly warned by the judge.
I think this is a preview of what we’ll see once the criminal trials get underway.
If they ever do.
@CSK: You don’t know that. What you’re doing is expressing automatic hatred for a group of people without knowing anything. History is full of such examples. Millions came before you Like Southerners for Blacks, Nazis for Jews etc etc
@Bill Jempty:
Oh, bullshit. Exactly how did I express hatred for large groups of people? What is wrong with you? I expressed contempt for Boebert and her five fellow miscreants, all of whom deserve it. You yourself said Boebert is an idiot.
The FBI are lying scumbag thieves.
Appeals Court: FBI’s Safe-Deposit Box Seizures Violated Fourth Amendment
Jack Smith
Yesterday, CSK noted:
In case anyone is unfamiliar with “Brand New Key”, you may have heard one of her tunes getting used in commercials — Quaker Oats had “Look What They’ve Done To My Oatmeal” and Toyota had “Look What They’ve Done To Toyota.” Both of these were modified from Melanie’s song “Look What They’ve Done To My Song”
I think there’s a certain genius in licensing a song about a song being mangled to advertisers to mangle it, but given how all of her work was so unflinchingly earnest, I assume she was primarily interest in the money rather than making an slightly indirect statement.
I was always partial to her song “I’m back in town”, about walking in on her former lover and his new partner, as he never was one to lock the door.
Alabama went with the experimental nitrogen execution, and it didn’t go well.
The description of how Smith reacted, are what one would expect of someone suffocating to death, fully conscious and with no oxygen.
There was much talk about how people who’ve perished in industrial accidents involving nitrogen, would lose consciousness before suffocating. This happens when nitrogen mixes with and gradually displaces oxygen in the air. Not too different from a slow decompression on an airplane. In both cases, too, some oxygen remains, just not enough to sustain life.
Details of the execution procedure were kept vague on purpose, but it was clear they intended to let Smith breathe only nitrogen abruptly. That’s not a gradual loss of available oxygen, but a sudden and total one.
Nitrogen forms a of two atoms with a very strong bond. This makes it seem inert, as it rarely reacts with anything. It can be used to put out fires, for example.
This is very much like another very stable, very inert molecule: carbon dioxide. Now imagine what you’d feel if you had a mask making a hermetic seal with your face, and CO2 was pumped into it.
@CSK: You condemn four people who you don’t know anything about or can even name. Your own words ‘five fellows. For no other reason but they are republicans. That is a group of people What is that but hatred?
Your need to ask if I ever been arrested up above says a great deal about your character.
$83.3 million
Chump change for a true Chump.
The jury hath spoken. Trump owes E. Jean Carroll:
7.3 million for compensatory damages
11 million to restore her reputation
65 million in punitive damages
Lardass Drumpf owes E. Jean Carroll another $83.5 million.
It’s ok. the donors will pay.
Or he’ll declare super-duper bankruptcy.
@Bill Jempty:
It’s true. I have a dreadful character. Far, far, far worse than Trump, Hitler, and Mussolini combined. I am the most appalling human being ever to walk the face of the earth. My evil nature knows no bounds.
I shall forthwith change my screen name from CSK to “The Archfiend Incarnate.”
@Kathy: Trump hats are on Amazon for $13.99. Assume Trump makes $8 per hat, that is 9,255,555.56 hats. I’m guessing that he could find that many saps. Of course that doesn’t account for Round 3 when he continues to shoot his mouth off. Maybe the next step is that he has to sign over Trump Tower to Ms. Carroll.
@senyordave:
Ah, he should go on video to have his meltdown for two or three hours,and sell each frame as an NFT. His suckers would pay through the nose for that.
@Kathy:
We’ve seen it before and it didn’t work then either.
Heh
https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2024/01/26/senator-kennedy-humiliates-another-biden-nominee-who-cant-answer-a-simple-question-n4925858
Biden incompetence? Or woke? But what’s the difference?
@Kathy:
Perhaps Mexico will pay for it.
@senyordave:
Are you suggesting Mexico won’t pay for it??
I noticed, at least in the hissy-fits shown so far, she and Trump don’t mention the plaintiff’s name this time around. Perhaps some learnins’ been done.
@CSK:
Similes at 20 paces, until first blood?
Boebert’s arrests were documented by the NY Post.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/16/gop-rep-lauren-boebert-and-husband-have-racked-up-arrests/
Steve
@CSK: Waiting for Trump to open his mouth, defamed Carroll again and watch a new filing for more damages within 24 hours.
@DrDaveT:
By George, I think you’ve got it.
@Kathy: I’m no fan of thee death penalty but have been trained in working with liquid nitrogen in enclosed spaces and heard a first hand account of what it feels like when all the air is replaced by nitrogen: like nothing. You just lose consciousness. Similar to astronaut training when they ask them to write their names over and over and then gradually reduce the oxygen level. They are never aware of the degradation.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a different thing. We have body mechanisms that detect that
@Scott:
He won’t be able to resist doing that, will he?
@DrDaveT:
A battle of wits can be safely ruled out.
OMG, Girl Scouts at the door with cookies. There goes the post holiday restraints.
@MarkedMan:
If you don’t get enough oxygen for whatever reason, you will lose consciousness before you die. It makes no difference how you don’t get enough, but it makes a world of difference how much oxygen remains.
Liquid nitrogen is heavier than air, and boils at well below zero temps. I think nitrogen vapor, the cold stuff that boils off liquid nitrogen, is also heavier than air. So, in a room with large amounts of liquid nitrogen, most of the oxygen, as well as the gaseous nitrogen, would get pushed upward, to be replaced by nitrogen vapor. But not all the oxygen. Only enough to render you unconscious and kill you.
Astronauts don’t train on nitrogen exposure, but on high altitude. As you get away from sea level, air thins out. the proportions of gases in the mix is the same, but there’s less of it. Ergo, not enough oxygen. This affects travelers to high altitude locations, like Mexico City, albeit to a lesser degree. You may feel there’s not enough air, and may breathe faster and/or deeper, until you acclimate (that is, until your bone marrow makes extra red blood cells so your body can make do with the lower oxygen amount).
None of these situations are like switching from a mix of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% mostly water vapor, to 100% nitrogen in the course of a second.
Were the execution protocol to gradually reduce oxygen in the mix, as happens in industrial accidents, substituting it fro nitrogen, that might be closer to humane (if we overlook the barbarity inherent in an execution).
Lastly, I said carbon dioxide, CO2. As far as breathing goes, it’s inert and harmless, and makes up around 0.04% of ambient air (and around 4% of exhaled breath).
Carbon monoxide, CO, is poisonous. It binds with hemoglobin, and messes up the transfer of oxygen to cells. It’s what kills people who commit suicide by exposing themselves to car exhaust in a closed, non-ventilated room.
@DK: Also, how good is he without a Tom Brady?
eta: and there is only one tom brady. Love him, hate him, there is nobody who measures up. Yet. And I love Maholmes, and Alexander, and Hurts…
@Kathy: FWIW, I also know that when testing SpO2 monitors, which is done by increasing the amount of nitrogen and decreasing the amount of oxygen, the subjects don’t feel any ill effect down to a 30% reduction of oxygen, but they are unconscious or nearly so by that time.
@Stormy Dragon: That was in all snark, as you were obviously aware of. The things i learn here. I am not surprised.
C’mon bill, it’s a matter of public record. Do I remember the name of every sleazeball mf’er I ever lived next door to? Fck no, but I remember their f’n faces and they were every one of them nothing more than wet farts.
@Paul L.: Paul, I was wondering why you came storming in here white with rage spouting off about who knows what, and just realized in retrospect it might have been triggered by the Carroll verdict. Was that it? The idea that a rapist might have to pay a cost sent you raving over the edge?
@MarkedMan: Kathy, I see that you had previously pointed out that it might make a difference if the oxygen were gradually decreased, which is the case in SpO2 tests
@Jack: Something tells me, could it be you? that you are a complete f’n idiot. Why do I say that? Because Kennedy is a complete f’n idiot. If he is your shining light of illumination, you are one dim bulb.
I don’t even have to click on your link.
@MarkedMan:
Nope just pointing out the FBI are dishonest scumbags but they have nothing to do with E.Jean/Christine Blasey Ford.
“Credibly Accused” legal standard convicts all. Maybe North Carolina will pass an Adult Survivors Act (ASA) law.