Month: October 2017

Athenae, Elections

Food Pantries and State Legislatures

Allison Hantschel

That’s what I’ve come to believe is the answer, no kidding:  Let’s say Trump disappeared tomorrow, and all his creatures with him. (We’d be short one pussygrabbing racist warmonger, and I’d never say that’s nothing, but let’s keep our eyes on the ball here.) A president Mike Pence or a President Paul Ryan would still have a GOP Congress set on making life worse for anyone who isn’t the owner of a corporation. Gerrymandered congressional districts mean their power is relatively assured; Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million and still carried 25 more congressional districts than Clinton. How … Continue reading Food Pantries and State Legislatures

Athenae, Elections, Law/Justice

Don’t Watch Mueller

Allison Hantschel

Mueller’s not here to save us. He’s not here to overturn the election. He’s not here to hand back the spine the GOP willingly ripped out of its party and tossed into the landfill of history. He’s not gonna fix this, for the very simple reason that this isn’t how it got broke. America didn’t get broke because Donald Trump is up to his eyeballs in Russian mob money. America got broke because Republicans decided to take over the country 20 years ago and Democrats, with the exception of Howard Dean First of His Name, mostly said okay as long … Continue reading Don’t Watch Mueller

Uncategorized1 Comment

Tuesday Foodblogging

Allison Hantschel

Mmm, fall. I used to make this ridiculously complicated Bon Appetit gingerbread cake recipe, because my little sister loved it, even though you had to grate fresh ginger and let it sit in sugar overnight and then brew coffee and mix it with the molasses and it was all too much, basically, plus it made a cake the size of Long Island and nobody but my sister really loved the stuff. This is much easier to do, makes less so less waste and/or guilt-gorging, and delicious.  A. Continue reading Tuesday Foodblogging

Free Republic, The Darnold, Tommy T

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “O’oo are you” edition

Tommy T

Good morning, all. Since it’s kinda quiet in Freeperville this week (I suspect the endless Freepathon (and The Darnold’s bizarre press conference might have depressed them a bit), it’s a good time to pick up some old stuff that The Who and Adrastos would call “Odds and sods”.

First up – more on Trump!

Tillerson on Report He Called Trump ‘Moron’: ‘Not Going to Deal with Petty Stuff’ to ‘Divide’
PJ Media ^ | 10/03/2017 | Bridget Johnson

Posted on 10/4/2017, 12:28:44 PM by SeekAndFind

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would not directly state whether or not he called President Trump a “moron,” as alleged in an NBC News report, but said at a morning press conference that his “commitment to the success of our president and our country is as strong as it was the day I accepted his offer to serve.”

(snip)

The report said Trump and Tillerson have battled on issues such as Iran, North Korea, Qatar and the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville; Trump has also wanted Tillerson to publicly defend him more. Tillerson allegedly called Trump a “moron” in a July 20 Pentagon meeting in response to the president suggesting that he would can the commander in Afghanistan and comparing troop-level decisions to a 1980s N.Y. restaurant renovation.

Tillerson emerged at the State Department for an unscheduled statement after the story broke, saying he wanted to “dispel this notion that I have ever considered leaving.”

“There’s never been a consideration in my mind to leave. I serve at the appointment of the president and I am here for as long as the president feels I can be useful to achieving his objectives,” he said.

Asked if he called Trump a moron, Tillerson replied, “I’m not going to deal with petty stuff like that.”

1 posted on 10/4/2017, 12:28:44 PM by SeekAndFind
“I can neither confirm nor deny…..”
To: SeekAndFind

 

A simple “No I didn’t” would have been a good denial.

3 posted on 10/4/2017, 12:33:58 PM by Genoa (Luke 12:2)

Maybe he’s falsehood-intolerant?
To: SeekAndFind

 

Did you call Trump a moron?

I did the job that—

Did you call Trump a moron?????????

You’re goddamn right I did!!

Or maybe I didn’t.

4 posted on 10/4/2017, 12:34:13 PM by conservative98

TrumpMoron
One Freeper kinda sorta acknowledges that it might be a true fact, but if it is, then so what?
To: SeekAndFind

 

Look, in Tillerson and Trump you have two guys with BIG egos and who are very used to telling people to “jump”. Do you think it’s always going to be peaches and cream? How about your own work site always harmony.

Just another attempt to divide and conquer.

8 posted on 10/4/2017, 12:45:56 PM by Obadiah

To: gspurlock

 

Anyone who did not watch reruns of all of the Celebrity Apprentice seasons and did not follow the campaign probably was in for a shock when they joined the team.

19 posted on 10/4/2017, 1:17:12 PM by grania (Deplorable and Proud of It!)

Well, there is that. And anyone who did not watch reruns of “Jersey Shore” probably would be in for a shock when Snooki and Jwoww had a drunken catfight…
.
And, reluctantly :
To: SeekAndFind 

His answer sounds like he probably said it. And he hasn’t cleaned out state. And he let the homos tale over the boy scouts.

GayBoyScouts

No loyalty to this dude for me. Sorry.

23 posted on 10/4/2017, 1:35:21 PM by DesertRhino (Dog is man’s best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up.)

To: robroys woman

 

Tillerson won’t deny it, and the probable reason is that he did call Trump a moron. He doesn’t want to lie because it will come out, and he will still need a good reputation after his stint at State is over.

33 posted on 10/5/2017, 8:58:55 AM by Genoa (Luke 12:2)

And finally, some wishful thinking (but thanks for my thread title) :
To: SeekAndFind

 

Reporter: Secretary Tillerson, can you give us more on Trump’s collusion with Russia.

Tillerson: i cannot give you more on Trump.

Reporter: You just called trump a moron.

15 posted on 10/4/2017, 1:05:58 PM by teeman8r (Armageddon won’t be pretty, but it’s not like it’s the end of the world.)

Reporter: “Duh, motherfucker. Have you ever heard him talk?”
More on old stuff below the underture…

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “O’oo are you” edition”

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media

The Grossest Thing About Halperin

Allison Hantschel

Will always be this:  A team of journalism students will take a page from Halperin and offer analysis of his remarks on Twitter, as well as produce a streaming video feed that will allow people watching on the Web to ask Halperin questions. Look, let me just stipulate up front that I am a dumb girl who makes dick jokes on the internet, and therefore am not the arbiter of What Is Journalism, especially since I often start sentences with conjunctions. But even I, a dumb girl who makes dick jokes on the internet, think that anyone who thinks Mark … Continue reading The Grossest Thing About Halperin

Adrastos, Comedy, Diary, Fog Of History, Food and Drink, Immoral Values, Law/Justice, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, So Called Liberal Media, Sports

Saturday Odds & Sods: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

Peter Adrastos Athas
Swing Landscape by Stuart Davis.

We finally had a chilly day this week. New Orleanians tend to overdress when it cools off so there were many coats, sweaters, and scarves about town. This cold-ish snap is another example of how extreme the weather has been this year: the first cold weather doesn’t usually arrive until around Thanksgiving. I am opposed to turning on the central heat until November but dragged out the space heaters. It warmed up yesterday, but it’s going to be cold today. We’re back on the autumnal weather yo-yo. So it goes.

The big local story is the precipitous fall of celebrity chef John Besh. Picayune restaurant critic Brett Anderson spent 8 months investigating charges of sexual harassment in Besh’s empire. The story landed last weekend and Besh has resigned from his company and lost two casino based locations. I’d heard that he was a hound and a creep but hadn’t heard how systematic the problem was. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Besh since it followed the Weinstein revelations.  I am trying out a new word to describe the outing of sexual harassers: Beshed. It probably won’t catch on but if it does, you heard it here first.

Another big local news story popped up as I was Oddsing and Sodsing. It’s a flap involving  mayoral frontrunner LaToya Cantrell, her use of city credit cards, and the heavy-handed intervention of District Attorney Leon Cannizzarro who is supporting her opponent. So much for that campaign being dull. It’s New Orleans politics in all its seedy glory but I’m going to save it for the Bayou Brief. I’ll let y’all know when my column drops. I’m uncertain if it will be Ionic, Doric, or Corinthian. Corinthian leather?

Now that I’ve incited the wrath of Khan, let’s move on to this week’s theme song. It was composed by Charles Mingus in honor of his friend the great jazz sax player, Lester (Prez) Young.

Here are three versions for your enjoyment. First, Charlie’s original instrumental followed by Joni Mitchell who added lyrics for her Mingus album in 1979. Finally, a guitar driven version by Jeff Beck from his Wired album:

Now that we’ve tipped our pork pie hat to the great Lester Young, it’s time to say goodbye and jump to the break or something like that. Sometimes I even confuse myself.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”

Michael F2 Comments

Not Like Everybody Says…Like Dumb. I’m Smart, And I Want Respect!

mmferry1965

The man with Fredo’s intellect and Sonny’s temperament reminds us that he’s certified, um… During an MSNBC appearance, Trump was asked about his foreign policy advisers. “I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain,” the Republican said. “And I’ve said a lot of things.” The president said more things this morning on the South Lawn of the White House. “Well, I think the press makes me more uncivil than I am. You know – people don’t understand – I went to an Ivy League college. I was a nice student. I did very well. I’m a very intelligent … Continue reading Not Like Everybody Says…Like Dumb. I’m Smart, And I Want Respect!

Uncategorized1 Comment

While We’re At It, NOT GREAT JEFF EITHER

Allison Hantschel

Rude Pundit speaks for me:  What could they do? If they were really brave, they’d say, “Yeah, you know what? Fuck the Republican Party.” And they’d bail, offer to caucus with the Democrats for the rest of their terms, even if it defies their core ideology (as if supporting Trump didn’t), and get Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski to do the same. Thus that changes the leadership of the Senate and puts a halt to Trump’s agenda and a mighty big fucking check on his power. Obviously, Republicans aren’t gonna do anything about Trump. Otherwise, senator after senator would have … Continue reading While We’re At It, NOT GREAT JEFF EITHER

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media, Stupid Republican Tricks4 Comments

NOT GREAT, BOB

Allison Hantschel

Oh look, someone else with nothing at risk is doing less than nothing and getting all kinds of praise for it!  Not pictured in CNN’s jerkoff session above: The 48 Democratic Senators who were never under the delusion that Trump was gonna be okay, the 65 million people who were right about him all along and VOTED FOR THE CHICK INSTEAD, or any one of the thousands of people who’d already been fucked over by this guy before he ran for president and tried to warn us. But sure, let’s keep lionizing Republicans who “stand up to” Trump, as if … Continue reading NOT GREAT, BOB

Adrastos, Current Affairs, Immoral Values, Political Crack, The Darnold1 Comment

Bottom Of The Barrel

Peter Adrastos Athas

I decided to let the John Kelly-Frederica Wilson flap marinate over the weekend before chiming in. I thought that something that started as a diversion from the mess in Niger might fade or that General Kelly would take the advice of medal of honor winner Colonel Jack Jacobs and apologize to Wilson for smearing her. If Kelly were really the moderate, competent man depicted by the MSM, he would have done so. Instead, he’s stuck by the lie he told about her while conceding that Trump said what Wilson said he said to Sgt. Johnson’s widow. (That’s a lot of … Continue reading Bottom Of The Barrel

Free Republic, The Darnold, Tommy T1 Comment

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “please make up our minds” edition

Tommy T

The flip-flopping is getting harder and harder to track, good people. How did Freeperville react to the incredibly callous and insensitive comments to the wife of Sgt. La David T. Johnson?

Depends on which way the wind’s blowing.

Trump told Widow Soldier ‘Must’ve Known What He Signed Up For’: Rep. [Florida Trump Hater]
NBC BAY AREA ^

Posted on 10/18/2017, 5:04:15 AM by SoFloFreeper

Freepers are all like “Well, it’s a true fact”.
To: A_Former_Democrat

 

I can see him saying this, especially if it was part of the conversation lauding his bravery and desire to do good. My family knows that I have signed up for this and that death could be a possibility.

5 posted on 10/18/2017, 5:12:16 AM by wbarmy (I chose to be a sheepdog once I saw what happens to the sheep.)

Other Freepers concur.
To: wbarmy

 

Yes, I can see Trump saying that…in a true, caring way of course.

9 posted on 10/18/2017, 5:27:28 AM by SoFloFreeper

To: Forward the Light Brigade

 

The guy did know what he was signing up for and yet he still signed up for it which seems quite commendable to me.

10 posted on 10/18/2017, 5:27:47 AM by RC one (The 2nd Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances)

Hell, they even start rewriting what he said so it doesn’t sound so embarrassing :
To: SoFloFreeper

 

Try this version.

“He must have known what he signed up for …. and still he was willing to serve this great Nation that he loved.”

11 posted on 10/18/2017, 5:29:33 AM by airborne (I don’t always scream at the TV but when I do it’s hockey playoffs season!)

Hell, why stop there? Try THIS version:
.
“He had no idea what he signed up for…well, enough about him – let’s talk about me now.
Say – are you doing anything later on? Now that you’re unattached?”
.
So, to reiterate – if The Darnold said it, it’s good.
To: SoFloFreeper

 

And if he did……so what. He called her and YES the soldier did know what he signed up for……..that is just stating a fact

33 posted on 10/18/2017, 6:16:33 AM by blueyon (The U. S. Constitution – read it and weep)

.
See?
.
Then:
.
To: exit82
Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 4m4 minutes ago Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!

37 posted on 10/18/2017, 6:30:44 AM by exit82 (The opposition has already been Trumped!)
And now, suddenly –
To: exit82
You know this is really out of hand. These bastards cannot keep getting away with making up these lies.
Well, the widow AND her family verified this happened, so there’s that.
It is sick evil and it must be stopped. I think this is the most despicable piece of media inflamed lies that has happened yet.
I thought it was a matter of:  “And if he did……so what.“?
I cant even put into words the contempt I have for these sickos. I hope they all burn in hell – McCain can go first.
38 posted on 10/18/2017, 6:33:10 AM by UKrepublican (Laurence Norris)
So  – there ya go.
.
If he said it, it’s good. If he didn’t, it’s evil.
.
If you think THAT’S turning on a dime, wait until you see what all the Freepers who loved them some Dubya when he was President said about him last Friday – after the clicky thingy…
.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freeperati – “please make up our minds” edition”

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media

Stop Publishing Things You Don’t Believe In

Allison Hantschel

I think, aside from the “both sides” fetish, this is my least favorite journalism Thing: Because @RTDNEWS knows good and well this article was hot trash. How do I know that? Well… pic.twitter.com/0cXbDzDbGC — Elon James White (@elonjames) October 18, 2017 Every newspaper editorial page hauls this out when someone calls the paper out on publishing racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise utterly bullshit: Oh, we’re just contributing to the Great Marketplace of Ideas Where We Debate Everything Civilly. Leaving aside that bullshit isn’t an idea, I could almost let this go at a time before TV and the internet, back … Continue reading Stop Publishing Things You Don’t Believe In

Athenae, Economy, Education1 Comment

They’re The Economy, Stupid

Allison Hantschel

It’s fashionable to describe public universities as money-sucks that educate the elite and prop up liberalism, but they also, you know, CREATE JOBS:  Trump’s cuts would affect all research universities, but not equally. The problem is more pronounced at public universities than private ones, and especially at public institutions in the Midwest, which have historically conducted some of the nation’s most important research. These schools are desperately needed to diversify economies that rely disproportionately on manufacturing and agriculture and lack the wealthy private institutions that fuel the knowledge industries found in Silicon Valley or along Boston’s 128/I-95 corridor. Yet many … Continue reading They’re The Economy, Stupid

Adrastos, Art, Bigotry, Books, Diary, Film, Fog Of History, Gret Stet Politics, Music, New Orleans, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, Race, Sports, Television

Saturday Odds & Sods: Lover Of The Bayou

Peter Adrastos Athas
Photograph by CC Lockwood.

Fall has fallen. We finally had a week of temptingly temperate temperatures. Unfortunately, it’s oak pollen season, which means I’ve been wheezier than Weezer or Isabel Sanford who played Louise (Weezy) Jefferson on the electronic teevee machine back in the day. Where have you gone George Jefferson? Achoo.

It’s the week after the primary election and the Mayoral  run-off campaign is mostly bubbling under the surface. There was some horrible news involving third-place finisher Michael Bagneris. His daughter, Mia, was hit by a drunk driver while exiting her car after attending her father’s election eve soiree. Since New Orleans is the world’s largest small town, we have several friends in common. Her injuries were severe but it appears that she’ll make it. It’s going to be a long recovery. Best wishes to the Bagneris family. Drunk drivers are the worst.

This week’s theme song was written by Roger McGuinn and Jacques Levy. It has an interesting history. I’ll let the Wikpedia entry for the Byrds album (Untitled) fill you in:

For most of 1969, The Byrds’ leader and guitarist, Roger McGuinn, had been developing a country rock stage production of Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt with former psychologist and Broadway impresario Jacques Levy.[16] The musical was to be titled Gene Tryp, an anagram of the title of Ibsen’s play, and would loosely follow the storyline of Peer Gynt with some modifications to transpose the action from Norway to south-west America during the mid-19th century.[5] The musical was intended as a prelude to even loftier plans of McGuinn’s to produce a science-fiction film, tentatively titled Ecology 70 and starring former Byrd Gram Parsons (no relation to Gene) and ex-member of The Mamas & the Papas, Michelle Phillips, as a pair of intergalactic flower children.[12] Ultimately, Gene Tryp was abandoned and a handful of the songs that McGuinn and Levy had written for the project would instead see release on (Untitled) and its follow-up, Byrdmaniax.[4]

I told you it was a long story. We have two versions for your enjoyment, the original live Byrds version and a cover by Mudcrutch, which was Tom Petty’s original band brought back to life in 2008. Holy reanimation, Batman.

That concludes our trip to the bayou or does it? You’ll find out after we jump to the break.

Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Lover Of The Bayou”

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Uncategorized

A Slice of Time

docphd

  It was a fortuitous tweak of timing that landed us at Francisco’s restaurant Saturday night: A baseball card show that had me in Milwaukee. A phone call my mom got from an old friend. Another restaurant with a wait time that we all knew my father wouldn’t tolerate. The place had changed names over the years, but for us it would always be Francisco’s. And this might have been the last night we ever got to see it. Mom and Dad used to go there when they were first dating in the 1960s. It was about the width of … Continue reading A Slice of Time

Adrastos, Music, Political Crack2 Comments

Rare Good News

Peter Adrastos Athas

It’s been a helluva week with a fresh outrage from the Insult Comedian each and every day. I think the dumb bastard confuses outrage with vitamins. I don’t usually take the news personally but I’m feeling as bruised as a peach that fell off the back of the truck and landed on the highway with a splat. That’s right, a splat. One antidote to the  daily crazy is good news. It comes from Jackson, Mississippi of all places: A predominately black public school in Mississippi named after Confederate President Jefferson Davis will be stripped of that moniker next year and … Continue reading Rare Good News

Michael F

American Gothic Toxic

mmferry1965

Somewhere a basket is shy at least two deplorables. Turns out Trump is … pretty much exactly what we thought he’d be: pathological, narcissistic, toxic … poison … Every morning’s check of headlines brings another another punch to the gut. Yes, that is what his base wanted — for him do to their ideological opponents what they cannot. And to restore what they consider the natural order: them at the top of the social pecking order. Vicariously, if not in any real sense… Your daily dose of outrage has been the business model of conservative talk radio for decades. Now it … Continue reading American Gothic Toxic

Adrastos, Fog Of History, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks, Twitter, Your President Speaks

Your President* Speaks: The Boy Still Ain’t Right

Peter Adrastos Athas

Donald Trump’s big mouth and tiny tweeting thumbs have had a busy week.  He revisited one of his golden oldies yesterday: saying horrible things to a gold star family. It evokes memories of  his attacks on the Khan family last … Continue reading Your President* Speaks: The Boy Still Ain’t Right