August 28, 2018

One race I will be watching closely from Florida

Florida-18. It's R+5.
The current rep is Mast (R-sucks)
One of the people running against him in the primary is Dave Cummings (Gun Nut). But, Cummings is also extremely pro-environment (for a republican he's practically a tree hugger)

He is concerned about state or federal government not having effectively addressed the toxic algae dumps which have turned the waterways black, killing fish, birds, dozens of manatees, and damaging fragile ecosystems in our estuaries.
"The last dump destroyed the summer tourist season by closing our beaches and harming the economy, yet our current congressman has done nothing to prevent the next incident. " (current congressman being Mast)

According to a few places that have written on Cummings, he seems actually sincere and doesn't see the solution as being drill for oil and wipe out endangered and threatened species.

I think I want him to lose because I think his voters are the ones the Democratic candidate has the best chance of picking up, or at the very least, not voting in the GE for either.
I don't think Mast voters, were he to lose to Cummins, would vote for the Democrat since Mast is more reichwing than Cummins

Thoughts by anyone from Florida on this race

August 28, 2018

John McCain's 106 year old mother will be attending his funeral

She is a fairly active 106 as well

August 27, 2018

If Donald Trump gave the eulogy at McCain's funeral.

Hello. Thank you everyone. It is great to be here. Your favorite Republican president is giving today's eulogy. It is an honor for the Mc Cain family, I am certain. I mean, who wouldn't want me giving their eulogy? Look how great the economy is doing. I mean, don't listen to the fake media about anything. McCain and I had a great relationship, because I am such a forgiving and friendly guy.

About McCain. Let me start by telling you about his last primary. He came to me on his hands-and-knees begging me to endorse him. I told him, I said, "John, I don't know. I think your opponent is a better person and would make a better senator than you." But, he begged and pleaded with me to do him this favor. I could have said, no. But, I didn't. I said, "Okay, I'll endorse you." And you know what, like every candidate not from Alabama that I have endorsed, he won. Yes, he won, thanks to me. And how did he show his appreciation? He didn't. He voted to keep that horrible Obamacare. He even did the thumbs down as he did it. I was shocked! Shocked! That he had betrayed me, after all I did for him. Sad. Very sad.

There was also the time that I said something off the cuff about heroes. You know, I like heroes who weren't captured. Later I said he was a hero. But, he still held a grudge. Not me though. No sir. I got over it. It's just sad he couldn't move on.

I see crooked Hillary, Bill and the Obamas are here. Not sure why. I mean, what could they possibly add to this momentous occasion? Yes, it is sad and terrible that McCain kicked off, but I am here to give the eulogy. So, it's good. Am I right? Am I right? I remember the night that I won the presidency. Crooked Hillary lost and I know it had to be soooooooooooooo hard on her. But, the country is soooooooooooo much better off now with me as president.

I can see the looks of anger on the faces of the McCain family. I better stop talking about crooked Hillary. And who really wants to hear anything about the Obamas? Am I right? Am I right? (aside to an aid) "Why aren't the McCains nodding to agree with me?

There is just so much winning go on, I can hardly keep up. But, you know the lyin' media. They refuse to focus on the real crimes, the real collusion. They don't talk about how great I am doing as president. How great this country is doing. We're respected again around the world. But, I'm sure they won't write anything about how sensitive and inspirational this eulogy is. About how I mentioned the time McCain asked for my endorsement and I generously gave it.
This is the greatest eulogy in history ladies and gentlemen. I know if McCain could, he'd rise from the casket, give me a standing ovation and apologize for betraying me.
Thank You

August 27, 2018

Review: Citigroup's 2008 bailout won't be its last

If history is any guide to the future, Citigroup will be in the middle of whatever financial crisis Wall Street manages to cook up next. Or so say James Freeman and Vern McKinley in “Borrowed Time: Two Centuries of Booms, Busts, and Bailouts at Citi,” a new book examining the $180 billion bank’s troubled past. The institution bailed out in 2008 has suffered repeated failures of over-aggression and lack of foresight, while Uncle Sam’s open wallet has blocked meaningful reform.

In its early days, Citi was a politically connected bank with poor lending practices controlled by a management team with alcohol problems. The bank came close to failure in the Panic of 1837, but was bailed out by John Jacob Astor, the beaver-pelt mogul who installed a capable top executive. For the next 72 years, Citi was capably run and grew to be the nation’s largest bank, albeit with only one branch, taking on deposits in “panics” because of its perceived solidity.

snip

Having suffered two near-death experiences in a decade, Citi was at least conservative for a generation. The next bailout came courtesy of Walter “countries don’t go bust” Wriston in 1982, when Citi, heavily over-leveraged, lost well over 100 percent of its capital in loans to Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. This time, the regulators’ response was to provide liquidity and pretend the loans were solid, which worked until the end of the decade, when the Latin American bad loans were joined by dud real-estate loans (including a heavy exposure to developer Donald Trump). Citi was described as “technically insolvent” by the House Commerce Committee chairman in 1991 but was privately rescued by an injection of preferred stock from Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

link:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-citigroup-bailout-breakingviews/breakingviews-review-citigroups-2008-bailout-wont-be-its-last-idUSKCN1L91W8

August 27, 2018

Verdict in trial of Reuters reporters in Myanmar postponed until Sep 3

Source: Reuters

poor health of court official




Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-journalists/verdict-in-case-against-reuters-journalists-in-myanmar-postponed-to-september-3-idUSKCN1LC080?il=0

August 24, 2018

Narcissist, Psychopath, or Sociopath: How To Spot The Differences

August 21, 2018

America was NEVER that great. Show those who disagree this...

http://www.monroeworktoday.org/explore/#

Each dot at the link represents someone who suffered from extra judicial killings (i.e. lynching)
Needless to say, the two most numerous colors are for Blacks and Hispanics. Red is Asians. Pink is Native Americans. Blue is Italians. Green which is for whites, not surprisingly, tend to be people who were accused of, or actually were, helping Black people in some way: abolitionists, helping slaves, registering people to vote, etc

And, as a reminder, these were the extra-judicial killings. Not included are the people who were railroaded by the justice system of the area for being a PoC or for being anti-slave, etc

August 16, 2018

Women accused of killing Kim Jong Nam could be freed

Two women accused of murdering the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could walk free Thursday, if a judge decides there's not enough evidence to proceed with their trial.

Kim Jong Nam died in February last year after Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam allegedly wiped his face with VX nerve agent in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur airport.

snip

The two women have been described by friends and family as simple, well-meaning women who had expressed interest in acting jobs. Aisyah's father claimed his daughter was used and "never would have done such a thing" in an interview with CNN in October.

According to authorities in Malaysia, the supposed TV producers were North Korean agents, four of whom have been charged in relation to Kim's murder but have since left the country.

link
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/15/asia/kim-jong-nam-trial-intl/index.html

August 14, 2018

South and North Korea agree to hold third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang within Sept.

South and North Korea have agreed to hold the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang within the month of September. On Aug. 13, at the high-level inter-Korean talks in Panmunjeom, the South and North delegations made a joint press statement that said the following.

The announcement said, "both parties have agreed to examine the current situation regarding implementation of the Panmunjeom Declaration and to give serious consideration of aggressive measure to resolve any issues." "Furthermore," it continued, "it has been decided that the tentatively scheduled inter-Korean summit shall be held within the month of September."

The joint announcement comprised three sentences and did not mention any discussions of matters outside the inter-Korean summit.

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/857412.html

August 8, 2018

Washington Primary

https://www.politico.com/election-results/2018/washington/

Washington is like California, the top 2 advance to the GE
In the Senate race it will be Cantwell and Hutchinson. So far, Cantwell scored over 50% in the primary (about 900,000 votes were cast). Hutchinson has name recognition in western Washington, that appears to be what she has going for her
About 67% of the vote has been counted

All 10 Districts feature one Democrat and one Republican
1, 2, 6, 7. 9 and 10 look good

District 3 is interesting, because the incumbent Beutler got a little over 47,000 votes and the second place finisher, Long, got a little over 42,000. What is interesting is, if you add up all the votes cast, about 57,300 went for one of the Republicans running and about 58,800 went for one of the Democrats running
R: Beutler 47,192, Bowerman 6,109, Cortney 4,034;
D: Long 42,251, McDevitt 9,396, Gasque 5,278, Hash 1,101
This is at about 71% reported. So, yes, the numbers could change a bit

District 4 and 7 appear to have only 2 people running; 1 from each party

District 8, the Republican will be Rossi, a familiar name to Washingtonians, as he has run for Governor and Senator and lost. His opponent will either be Schrier or Rittereiser. This district extends from the farming and ranching communities of central Washington to King County. Rossi has two advantages, one is it is somewhat conservative and he has name recognition. He also has some disadvantages - he is a two time loser on Washington's biggest political stages (Governor and Senator) and he has been (maybe still is) part of the state secessionist group that wants to split eastern Washington from western Washington -- and call their state Liberty (no joke. Look up Rep Matt Shea). Not sure how that will play in half of the district he wants to represent.
If you add up all the votes cast so far, there were more Democratic votes than Republican votes cast, with two independents and a libertarian getting around 600 votes each

District 5 is interesting, partially because it is on the eastern border with Idaho (so it would be part of Liberty). It is represented by McMorris-Rodgers. The east is a conservative stronghold, but with almost 2/3s counted, she is leading Lisa Brown-D, by only about 600 votes. The question is, where the rest of the 1/3 comes from? If it is Spokane and the surrounding area, that could be a toss-up, though favoring the Republicans. If it is further south in Pullman, it favors the Democrats. Either way, it is incredibly close for a District-5 primary and if you add the other two Republicans into the mix, that is only 3,500 more Republican votes. There is another candidate who is running as an independent and he has almost 3,000 votes