It's been some time since I've posted a favorite movie, so since it's Saturday night I thought I might make a suggestion. My favorite movies are usually those which are based on real events and real people. This one is special because it depicts the life of someone who really does embody that America that so many people seem to be missing the point of. That America that was supposed to stand for freedom for all people.
Without further ado:
And like so many wonderful movies this one comes with an equally wonderful theme song. Listen closely, for it has meaning for all of us.
I just realized that for some reason the videos are not showing up on mobile devices. Blogger in their infinite wisdom changed their interface and so now that does not work. The videos included in this post are from the movie "Harriet". The first is the trailer and the second is the theme song "Stand Up".
So I am obviously not too impressed with the capabilities of the people at Blogger.
176 comments:
I'm not liking this new Blogger interface they converted to. I just realized that the videos don't show up on my phone. *sigh*
Plus it seems slow and rather cumbersome.
"I just realized that the videos don't show up on my phone."
I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it. Maybe they'll get around to fixing that soon. Seems like the kinda thing that'll get 'em some complaints.
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(Forwarding from the last thread: Pelosi has already gone ahead and called the members of the House back to Washington D.C. And she's blocked out time on Saturday next for a vote. She either thinks she's already got her majority on a bill to support the Postal Service, or she thinks she stands a very good chance of getting that majority if she can get her people back where she can work on 'em.)
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NYT covid updates: Immunologists think they're seeing signs of "durable" immunity after even mild cases of covid-19. This is good news for vaccine hopes.
Maybe they'll get around to fixing that soon. Seems like the kinda thing that'll get 'em some complaints.
I found someone posting about it in May and apparently they haven't fixed it yet. He was pretty scathing in his comments.
I tend to agree with him that the old system was just fine. I don't see an advantage to what they changed to at all. Especially if it doesn't work as well, which in the case of phones it doesn't. There were some who had a fix by removing a line of code for the HTML, but I don't really want to mess with that since I don't want to screw up what is still working. I will just have to find another workaround for those who may want to view on their phones. It's not like I have a ton of visitors! lol!
Immunologists think they're seeing signs of "durable" immunity after even mild cases of covid-19. This is good news for vaccine hopes.
Honestly, that kind of makes sense to me. If I did have it back at the end of January into the first week in February, as I suspect, then my lack of reinfection would make sense. That was 6 months ago and I haven't had any problems. Given the higher rates in my area I wouldn't be at all surprised that I have been exposed multiple times.
I asked my mail lady this morning what she thought of Trump's desire to de-fund the Post Office and she said she and her co-workers believe he is acting like a whiny baby because he thinks he might lose the election. She also commented that if the Post Office went under there wouldn't be enough replacement jobs out there to employee all of those workers. She also commented about the fact that the Post Office is legally required to fund it's retirement plan, I believe that was W's doing, and if they talked about the funding for the military retirement plans they'd be in trouble too.
I'm surprised she didn't mention the PostMaster's clear conflict of interest problems. He's heavily invested in companies that do contract work for the USPS, and in other companies that are fairly directly in competition. But, Trump's appointees only have to face the supine Republican Senate majority confirmation so he got through with no real problem.
Michelle Obama went long. Only a few minutes, but considering how they were being strict about time limits, it's notable that they let her go long.
TheHill: Many things to learn on The Hill: Turns out that Pope Frances was granted a meeting in 2017 with His Excellency, The President, Donald J. Trump, only after the Pope had personally made the request to His Excellency, The Great Trump. The meeting was "at Francis' request" as they tell the story. Hard to believe, ain't it? But, there it is.
Also great "swathes of [the Catholic Church] are already so devoted to Trump that nothing, not even [his] mocking Christ's vicar, will change their minds."
Whoda thunk it?
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(Editing correction on the date here.)
Michelle Obama went long. Only a few minutes, but considering how they were being strict about time limits, it's notable that they let her go long.
Her speech was pre-recorded. I would guess someone, probably Eva Longoria, was actually the one who went long in some of her comments making the timing off.
I watched most of the convention on PBS. Unfortunately I missed Klobuchar and Kasich as I fell asleep during that time period. I made sure I ate some ice cream after I woke up to stay awake for the rest. ;)
I found parts of it rather slow and awkward, but the clips of the woman whose father died of Covid-19, the Amtrak train crew and just the mini interviews of average people to be moving and interesting. I thought Cuomo, Sanders, and especially Michelle Obama, gave excellent addresses.
I will try to find the speeches I missed on YouTube. And will tune in to tonight's convention. I don't know how the will top Michelle Obama.
I watched the second night of the Democratic National Convention and am finding that I actually enjoyed it. I thought the way they did the roll call, including average Americans as well as political representatives from their home states was actually quite brilliant. It reminded me of how diverse and strong our people are.
As one of the analysts on CNN said it reminded me of normalcy, how we used to be. It felt like a family gathering. Whether or not Joe Biden can deliver on all of the promises would be amazing, so I don't expect that. But if he can deliver on an all inclusive type of government that would be huge in and of itself.
It was a beautiful moment. And so different from what we have been subjected to over the past four years with Trump.
"I actually enjoyed it."
I was mostly bored with most of it. (Of course I was making popcorn and corn dodgers and packing them away for snacks for the next several nights--so maybe if I hadn't been distracted it'a been better). I did like the short bit on Jill Biden (don't think most folks know much about her, and it probably helps some to clarify who Joe Biden is).
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Ezra Klein at VOX has come up with a theory that I tend to endorse (probably because I came to this same conclusion myself weeks ago and still hold to it).
He thinks the Republicans have absolutely zero plans on how to deal with the resurgent coronavirus because they don't think they'll need one. They expect to get wiped out in the November elections, lose the White House AND the Senate and probably lose even more seats in the House of Representatives.
They then expect to reprise their anti-Obama plan against Joe Biden this time. I.e. they intend to block everything, freeze up the government and drive the economy further into the toilet if they can.
They think this plan worked against Obama. (And it largely did, but that's because Obama was too stubborn to admit that he was never gonna get any coöperation across the aisles; the Republicans were never gonna work with him. He kept pursuing "bipartisan" solutions until well into his sixth year in office when he finally wised up to "no means no" with the Republicans.).
I think Biden will come to his senses much sooner than six years in, if only because he was there for the education of Obama. Hope so anyway.
They then expect to reprise their anti-Obama plan against Joe Biden this time. I.e. they intend to block everything, freeze up the government and drive the economy further into the toilet if they can.
I am hoping that this time around there are enough Republicans who understand what Michelle Obama said on opening night...don't think it can't get worse because it can. That they understand that burning the house down leaves them with no house too.
I was mostly bored with most of it.
Maybe you like more fireworks than I do. Or maybe it was just it was the right thing for me at this time. I'm tired of crazy and just want a little everyday normalcy.
I really enjoyed Jill Biden's bit too. I really didn't know much about her either and felt she came across as being decent and caring. Again, someone you'd like to sit down with and talk to.
I would guess there are those out there who are looking for the more exciting presentations. But right now with the problems we are having in our country perhaps exciting really isn't what is needed. Simple competence is.
"I am hoping that this time around there are enough
Republicans who understand what Michelle Obama said…"
I think their immediate takeaway from a Biden win will likely depend on how much damage is done to their Senate majority. That's why I'm pulling for seeing a serious hurt done on the Senate Republicans to go along with the replacement of Trump.
That's why I'm pulling for seeing a serious hurt done on the Senate Republicans to go along with the replacement of Trump.
I am too. The only way we can reverse the harm done is to get enough people in government to make a change. That means a Democratic majority in the Congress and the White House. Then we will see if they Democrats can rein in their extremists. It's obvious the Republicans couldn't.
"Then we will see if they Democrats can rein in their extremists."
There is that danger. And I'll be keeping an eye out for that (assuming Trump loses and the Senate flips). But, I think it's instructive so far that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got less than two minutes of air time. John Kasich got more time than that. Colin Powell got more time than that. (I could go on.)
President Obama rocked the house tonight with his speech. An historic moment that will hopefully resonate. He just described everything I have been feeling.
Kamala Harris also gave a wonderful speech. I feel she would make a very capable VP or President.
"[Obama] just described everything I have been feeling."
I thought he was a little light on building up Biden. He was heavy on knocking down Trump, little light on ‛praise Biden’.
"I feel she would make a very capable VP or President."
Also a little light on praise for Biden. She made a good first impression for herself I think.
Perhaps the plan is to allow Biden to wow the crowd on his own tomorrow night. Ya s'pose?
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I used to wonder out loud as it were, whether the Republican Party's future was a schism or whether it was doomed to wither into a regional, semi-Nazi racist and xenophobic collection.
It's beginning to look like it's gonna be both. It will wither into a regional "white grievance" party, throwing off whatever few plutocrats simply cannot abide the new format.
However, they're gonna have a rather larger remnant party starting out than I'd first thought.
"Whether he wins reëlection or not, President Donald Trump
is remaking the Republican Party for years to come, as
candidates ride to Congress by studiously observing the new
first commandment of GOP primaries: The Trumpiest person
wins.
Dozens of safe-seat Republican veterans are retiring in 2020,
some of whom have only grudgingly acceded to Trump’s
takeover. But their replacements are running as hardcore
Trump acolytes with no such misgivings about the president.
"Among those set to join next year’s class of House GOP
freshmen are the former White House doctor known for his
glowing praise of the president’s ‛great genes’; an Alabama
state legislator who claims to have been the first elected
official in the country to endorse Trump; and a QAnon
conspiracy theorist from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene,
who first gained popularity on the MAGA internet and was
deemed a new ‛Republican star’ by Trump.
"Added up district by district, the phenomenon is creating a
vastly different Republican Party than the one that nominated
Trump in 2016, four years after elevating Mitt Romney to the
presidential race — as evidenced by the fact that ‛Romney
Republican’ has become an epithet across numerous 2020
Republican primaries.
"The House GOP Conference is set to be smaller but Trumpier
next year, tightening the president’s hold on the top ranks of
the party. And while some Republicans worry this will make it
tougher to win back the House, the growing Trump footprint
in safe seats means that the next time they do win the
majority, the president’s political style and staunchest backers
will play a big role in the national government whether or not
Trump is still on the scene.
***
"The GOP base’s full embrace of Trump could complicate any
post-mortem efforts by the party should Democrats capture
the White House in November."
Politico
He was heavy on knocking down Trump, little light on ‛praise Biden’.
Oh, I didn't get that at all. The highest civilian honor is the Medal of Freedom which Obama awarded Biden when he was President. The clip of that I think said it all. Although Obama did explicitly say that Biden made him a better President. And it seems that four nights of building up Biden's experience, leadership qualities and empathy is good enough.
But, perhaps, unlike Trump, Biden doesn't want the continuing praise of how wonderful he is. Perhaps he wants others to share in any credit that is due.
Or maybe Obama's unprecedented criticism of Trump and his behavior just stood out. It was highly unusual, but then these are unusual times.
Perhaps the plan is to allow Biden to wow the crowd on his own tomorrow night. Ya s'pose?
He's got some tough acts to follow. We'll see.
Although I will say that Nancy Pelosi came across as very wooden and scripted. I have never been impressed with her speaking ability. Same goes for Hillary Clinton.
"Whether he wins reëlection or not, President Donald Trump
is remaking the Republican Party for years to come, as
candidates ride to Congress by studiously observing the new
first commandment of GOP primaries: The Trumpiest person
wins.
There is a reason democracies die. What is happening in the Republican Party is a canary in the coal mine. Complacency allows weeds to grow.
Sweden records highest death tally in 150 years
Sweden recorded its highest death tally in 150 years for the first half of 2020, according to the country's official statistics office.
Between January and June this year, 51,405 deaths were registered -- more than 6,500 fatalities (or 15%) over the same period in 2019.
This is the highest number of deaths in Sweden during the first half of the year since 1869, when the country was struck by famine and 55,431 people died.
"Or maybe Obama's unprecedented criticism of Trump and his
behavior just stood out."
Probably a lot to that. It was a rather overwhelming take-down, made all the more so by Obama's calm and level delivery. (Trump's Twitter account tells us Trump thought so too.)
"What is happening in the Republican Party is a canary in
the coal mine."
The question will soon arise: What will the nominally "Republican" Party become after November, after Trump?¹
One thing's certain, it'll never quite go back to what it was before. It's changed forever.
1. Trump uncovered the background noise of the Republican Party. He's disclosed and celebrated its white supremacist roots and that's not going to be forgotten by the next man who wants the Republican nomination.
2. The Party "establishment" are no longer in control of their own message. They have farmed out their "messaging" operations to one Rudolph Murdock, who's made billions of dollars on the project, and his primary goal is a large and loyal following dedicated to watching the TV screens he offers², not necessarily a voting majority in the government. And the Republican "establishment" have neither a plan nor the power to force reconciliation of those two different goals.
3. The "next man" who wants the Republican nomination is gonna havta deal with Trump. Trump's not going away. Trump will want to take back the Presidency in 2024. He'll run again. He may have Republican challengers in 2024, but he'll run again.³
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¹ Caveat to notion of "after Trump". Trump isn't going to just go away. Even if he gets frog-marched out of the White House, he isn't going to just go away.
² Murdock is now getting challengers for those TV screen dollars, but that doesn't actually help the Party take back control over their messaging operations.
³ Scenario № 3, above ↑↑, assumes, of course, that Trump is not arrested and frog-marched out of the White House (nor arrested soon after being otherwise "escorted" off the premises), for any of the various financial or national security felonies I can imagine he's committed while immunized from oversight by the current Republican Senate majority.
They just charged Steve Bannon with fraud in connection with a border wall funding campaign.
New York federal prosecutors on Thursday charged President Donald Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon and three others with defrauding donors of hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of a fundraising campaign purportedly aimed at supporting Trump's border wall.
Bannon, 66, was arrested on a boat Thursday off the Eastern coast of Connecticut by federal agents along with officials from the United States Postal Inspection Service, according to the agency and a law enforcement official. He will make his initial court appearance in New York later Thursday, according to the US attorney's office. Bill Burck, an attorney for Bannon, declined to comment.
The four men are indicted for allegedly using hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to an online crowdfunding campaign called We Build the Wall for personal expenses, among other things. Bannon and another defendant, Brian Kolfage, promised donors that the campaign, which ultimately raised more than $25 million, was "a volunteer organization" and that "100% of the funds raised...will be used in the execution of our mission and purpose," according to the indictment unsealed Thursday.
1. Trump uncovered the background noise of the Republican Party. He's disclosed and celebrated its white supremacist roots and that's not going to be forgotten by the next man who wants the Republican nomination.
They would, and will, deny it. And for those who are clueless it may take some doing for them to even realize.
Trump's not going away. Trump will want to take back the Presidency in 2024. He'll run again. He may have Republican challengers in 2024, but he'll run again.³
First, we have to worry about 2020. A lot can happen between now and 2024. I just want him to vacate the White House peacefully if he loses.
Trump has commented on the arrest from the White House. He said that Bannon's promotion of the Great Wall of Trump had been "showboating and maybe looking for funds and that was for government, not private individuals" to do, at least, in connection with his Great Wall project anyway.
He was apparently not trying to invoke irony.
Alexei Navalny, Russian democracy advocate and active critic of Vladimir Putin can be added to the list of those poisoned under mysterious circumstances.
Navalny was apparently poisoned from a cup of tea served to him on a Russian airliner, on a return trip to Moscow.
I heard about Navalny. That seems to be the fate of thsoe who dare to stand up to Putin. At least we haven't gotten to that point here, yet.
Biden's taking the stage tonight, giving his acceptance speech.
Trump's probably made a mistake in working so hard to hammer on the idea that Biden's dazed and confused, cognitively declined as it were. That kinda lowers the bar for Biden tonight. All the semi-loyal Trumpkins are going to be looking for signs of Alzheimer's disease. If Biden shows up fairly normal, routinely alert and has his stutter under control, then they'll likely conclude that Biden is okay after all, and has met the threshold test.
A bit maudlin at points, but…maybe that's just me; maybe that works better on more emotional types.
It was twenty-six minutes, wide ranging, and tracked the whole way. Trump made a mistake pushing too hard on the "Joe is senile." theme. Biden just thrashed him on that one.
It was a very good speech for Biden. Yes, he touched on some emotions with his talk about his son. But I think for those people who have lost people to Covid he makes it clear that he understands their loss. Because he has experienced it himself. I felt it myself, his empathy is real. Indeed, the whole speech came across as honest and real. It was a "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" moment.
They have been stressing the contrasts between Biden and Trump very well. The one is the light of hope and the other is the darkness of hate.
We'll see how it works going forward.
"It was a very good speech for Biden."
I do agree with that. Biden hit all his intended marks; he was in top form, even with the no-audience format.
That speech was written, and his delivery was timed, specifically for the camera, audience free. And he made it work for him.
It's been said that one of Biden's particular strengths is connecting with a live audience, but he had that no-audience format nailed.
"The one is the light of hope and the other is the darkness…"
Yeah, I did also appreciate that reference he slid in there. Biden's gonna confound more than a few evangelical preachers (and fundie priests no less) with that one, at least temporarily. Evangelical Trumpkin preachers gonna be sputtering from their pulpits all across the Bible Belt, trying to counter that imagery, trying to beat back "the ally of The Light" this coming Sunday morning.
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Starting Monday Night, "The Empire Strikes Back".
Same time; same station.
Starting Monday Night, "The Empire Strikes Back".
lol! Yes, indeed. And they have been keeping it pretty much under wraps. I wasn't going to watch much of that, but I think I may tune in here or there to see who is speaking. I will probably listen to the Trump family just to see what they come up with. I don't know if I can listen to Trump or not. We'll see. It will be interesting to see what, if any, ideas they steal from the DNC.
There is a David Muir interview with Biden and Harris happening on Sunday night. I will want to watch that.
"I don't know if I can listen to Trump or not. We'll see."
I'm gonna give it a try. Trump's not much good from a teleprompter. He's wooden and gets kinda "sing-song" trying to be less wooden. I think it'll be interesting, watching him trying to be interesting without a crowd to strut and mug for. I would not be surprised if he turns it into a minor disaster, forgivable by the Trumpkins, but unfortunately memorable to independents.
(Of course, he might have a good night, but that's not what I'd think most likely.)
I'm gonna give it a try.
It might be a good idea to see what the opposition has to say. It's just that he's so boringly predictable in his fear mongering and classic right wing rhetoric. *sigh* I rather like Melania better.
On CNN they did have a sampling of people who are slated to speak. That list includes the couple who confronted protesters outside their home with guns and someone Trump pardoned.
The House has passed the $25 Billion funding bill for the Post Office. The one that Trump has said he will veto.
Ball's in McConnell's court now. I haven't heard anything on whether he will kill it on Trump's behalf or not.
Looks like Trump has decided that he needs to make at least a cameo appearance each night at the Republican Convention (my guess is that he wants it to look like he's the "producer/director" of the event) and that he and the RNC are gonna want 2½ hours per night to outstage the Democrats' 2 hour programs.
It's not clear yet that FoxNews will go along with that 2½ hour bid, as that will cut into Tucker Carlson's top rated cable TV show. (But this does suggest that they're still putting their program together, revising things to take advantage of what they think worked at the DNC telethon from last week.)
The NewYorkTimes has given some Op-Ed space to Ross Douthat, a noted reactionary type of "conservative" who's long been committed to policing other peoples' morals and to supply-side economic theory.
He speculates on where the Republican Party might go after Trump.
Being as he's been a true believer in Republican orthodoxy (at least, up to the point where he had to grudgingly give some support to Trump so's to keep the dedicated Trumpkins from tossing him clear out of the tent), whereas I was never able, I figure his speculations here are worth the time (short time) it'll take to read 'em.
...the first political party to exist entirely as a simulation.
I could see that happening. They already are good at smoke and mirrors.
Ball's in McConnell's court now. I haven't heard anything on whether he will kill it on Trump's behalf or not.
If he does then Pelosi & Co. can claim the Republicans are not serious about helping the Post Office get the ballots delivered on time. He will probably kill it and roll with the punches, knowing McConnell.
Looks like Trump has decided that he needs to make at least a cameo appearance each night at the Republican Convention...
I've heard that. It is typical Trump. He doesn't understand the saying, familiarity breeds contempt. Sometimes less is best. I think Biden did a good job letting others make a case for his presidency before he gave his speech.
I will probably tune in to the RNC out of pure curiosity.
Forgot to mention, apparently Mary Trump taped a conversation with her aunt Marryanne Trump Barry discussing Donald Trump. Donald Trump's sister lets loose with both barrels, calling him cruel, a liar and only out for himself.
His response? "Every day there's always something, who cares?"
I would guess that her opinion of him is no surprise to him.
Looks like FoxNews put their foot down. The Republican National Convention shall not be allowed to infringe on Tucker Carlson's magic hour. NYMag
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Okay, here's a question to try to answer from the Republican speeches that come down over the next four days.
"“What do Republicans believe? What does it mean to be a
Republican?”
***
"It can now safely be said, as his first term in the White House
draws toward closure, that Donald Trump’s party is the very
definition of a cult of personality. It stands for no special ideal.
It possesses no organizing principle. It represents no detailed
vision for governing. Filling the vacuum is a lazy, identity-
based populism that draws from that lowest common
denominator Sanford alluded to. If it agitates the base, if it
lights up a Fox News chyron, if it serves to alienate sturdy real
Americans from delicate coastal elites, then it’s got a place in
the Grand Old Party.
"“Owning the libs and pissing off the media,” shrugs Brendan
Buck, a longtime senior congressional aide and imperturbable
party veteran if ever there was one. “That’s what we believe
in now. There’s really not much more to it.”"
Politico
Can that be right?
Marcus can at least lay claim to being an unapologetic bigot.
What do the Republicans have?
We have another case of an unarmed black man getting shot in the back at close range for what appears to be no good reason. CBSNews This time in Kenosha, Wisconsin, a large town/small city of around 100,000 people.
There was something else that happened in Wisconsin yesterday as well. There was a report of a bomb placed at a postal facility in Wisconsin on the news last night. If true, another serious incident within 24 hours. I only heard about the shooting this morning. I have not heard nay more details on the bomb.
Had to fix a typo...
Kellyanne Conway is resigning to focus on family matters. Her husband, George Conway, is also resigning from the Lincoln Project for the same reason. Although in a last tweet he made sure to list all of his articles regarding Trump.
It would seem that their children are getting a little older and, perhaps, more aware politically. One of their daughters has been posting anti-Trump comments on twitter.
I never could understand how that marriage could work when George and Kellyanne were so opposed politically and her role was so prominent. So I can see why a break may be necessary.
Or, a less charitable thought would be that she is the proverbial rat leaving the sinking ship. One can only hope.
More details on the bomb. It was in Prescott, WI.
We have another case of an unarmed black man getting shot in the back at close range for what appears to be no good reason.
Yes. It will be interesting to see what the police officers' story is this time. He wasn't even involved in the domestic disturbance, except trying to diffuse that situation. What on earth were the police thinking?
"What on earth were the police thinking?"
My guess is he decided it was time to show those BLM protesters, and any other uppity niggers who might be gettin' ideas, who was in charge of the streets in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
I'm wondering if the bomb was intended to discourage "mail in" voting.
It looks like Herman Caine has been removed from the Speakers List for this weeks' RNC festivities.
It looks like Herman Caine has been removed from the Speakers List for this weeks' RNC festivities.
Another Covid casualty.
I'm wondering if the bomb was intended to discourage "mail in" voting.
I was wondering the same thing.
Trump made an appearance before the party faithful earlier today. So, he might not show up for the televised portion tonight.
The cops who shot Jacob Blake can be heard shouting "drop the knife" immediately before they opened fire on him.
This is a police "custom" that often precedes a premeditated murder (where there will be witnesses). Mr. Blake is lucky to be alive. They didn't intend for him to live to testify against them. And he still may not. He's in serious condition last the hospital said on that subject.
(They were closing in on Blake, who had his back to them and was opening the car door when they started shouting about the supposed knife. One cop closed in close enough to grab Blake's shirt to prevent him getting in the car and shutting the door behind him--and thus closing them out. Cops who actually suspect that a subject has a knife do not intentionally close to within knife strike range of the subject.)
It looks like the the Trump administration (specifically, the FDA at the urging of the White House) has fabricated the data indicating a "35%" improvement in fatality rates from convalescent plasma treatments. NewYorkTimes
(This doesn't mean the stuff doesn't work. Just that they don't have the evidence they claimed to have. It would seem they hurried the conclusion and had to fake up some evidence to support that hurried conclusion, all to fit Trump's campaign schedule.)
Last I read Jacob Blake is paralyzed from the waste down. Although they are hoping for improvement.
I viewed the video and have to say that it's hard to believe the police acted properly even before the shooting. They all just seemed to be milling about on the other side of the car before Blake moved around to enter the driver's side. As far as I could see there was no knife.
Well, I managed to watch some of the RNC last night before I took a nap. My impression was Soviet propaganda film(the opening narrated sequence) meets Aryan Nation(the opening speaker and others that came along after). The only two people I listened to that didn't come across as plastic and over the top phony were Herschel Walker and Tim Scott. I'm not Black so I can't judge the weight or accuracy of their words. But at least they seemed real in their manner. Kimberly Guilfoyle was just...strange. It was at the tail end of her speech that I fell asleep. Yes, despite her shouting delivery. Weird, just weird. I never made it to Don, Jr. or Donald Trump. Probably didn't miss much. The whole thing seemed to be an alternate universe, as Jeffrey was wont to say way back when about the Arab world.
"They all just seemed to be milling about on the other
side of the car…"
One witness said they'd earlier had him bent over, head in a hammerlock and were pounding him in the ribs (one cop on each side with opposite side hammerlocks, and both of them using their free hands to work him over from each side, paying special attention to pounding him in the ribs). Apparently both cops were depending on the other cop to keep his head locked down tight, 'cause he managed to jerk himself back out of their headlock, at which point a lady cop tasered him. The milling around seems to have started when he got up from the taser shot--they were apparently trying to decide what to do to him next. Looks like they decided to just shoot him and be done with it.
"As far as I could see there was no knife."
Cops with their pistols already drawn don't close into knife fighting distance on a guy they think is holding a knife. They stay back out of reach.
The yelling about "drop the knife" was for the witnesses to hear.
"Well, I managed to watch some of the RNC last night
before I took a nap."
I didn't plan it, but my nap happened both before and during. It was all over when I awoke.
"Kimberly Guilfoyle was just...strange."
She made the early morning news. Yeah, "strange" seems to almost cover that.
Lee: ” We have another case of an unarmed black man getting shot in the back at close range for what appears to be no good reason. CBSNews This time in Kenosha, Wisconsin, a large town/small city of around 100,000 people.”
Yet again the cop had his gun drawn, ordered the “suspect”, “culprit” whatever, to stay and let himself be arrested (it was a suspected domestic abuse case as far as I can tell). Why can’t they ever listen? Well probably 99% DO listen and those are the ones who do not get shot.
Still this guy runs from the cop, disregards several orders to stop, opens his car door and reaches is. At that point the cop must assume he’s reaching for a weapon in the car. It’s a clean shooting from the cop. Now 7 bullets might be excessive but firing at the suspect was most likely well within protocol.
And, FOI, you support this whole BLM brouhaha even if not in so many words, but that is exactly what’s going to get Trump a second term. Do you really think the riots and the arson taking place now especially in the swing states are gonna hurt Trump? Those are what will get him re elected.
"It’s a clean shooting from the cop."
It's already been referred to the State of Wisconsin, DOJ, Criminal Investigations unit. That means the City can't orchestrate a cover-up.
I don't think the Wisconsin AG's investigators are going to agree with you.
I think they should and will. We’ll see.
I'm strongly suspecting you'd have seen it clearer if the "suspect" had been blond and blue eyed.
Are you a BLM supporter Lee? Just curious here, since you always seemed to side with authority, are you now on the “defund the police” side? BC that would seem a bit odd.
Lee:
“ I'm strongly suspecting you'd have seen it clearer if the "suspect" had been blond and blue eyed.”
Well, extremely few blond and blue eyed suspects behave in that way. If they do they are usually meth addicts. And in that case I would still think the police response was reasonable (but he might could’ve tried with one or two bullets to incapacitate instead of just unloading - but the shooting would be just as justified if the suspect was white, yellow or even green.
Alright, now I’m gonna watch reruns of Game Of Thrones, so I’ll be outta here for the time being.
"Are you a BLM supporter Lee?"
I'm not sure what that question means to you. I suspect it's supposed to include a question about whether or not I think the property destruction is somehow justified as a response to displays of excessive force and outright murder perpetrated by the police. Using that interpretation, the answer is "no", I don't think the property destruction is justified, not the fires, not the looting, not the general trashing of storefronts, none of that is justified.
The Speaker of Note in tonight's festivities is Melania Trump.
There are rumors going around that a "friend of the family" has tapes of Melania disparaging her husband, Donald, and that they'll be made public by the 1st of the month. (Melania's main target was supposedly Ivanka, and then the other young Trumps, but she reportedly had room left to disparage Donald on tape as well.)
"At that point the cop must assume he’s reaching for a
weapon in the car."
Why must the cop assume that?
If you and a couple of your buddies had whupped up on a guy and he'd gotten up off the ground and walked away… If you'd followed him and watched him get his keys out of his pocket before he opened his car door, would you then be justified in the assumption that he was getting a gun instead of getting away from the beating you'd just given him? If you beat a guy and he runs away are you really justified in killing him for running away? All you have to do is pretend that he must have been going to get a gun? Is that enough? Is that all you have to do to justify shooting a man in the back?
The Republican National Convention attracted 3 million fewer viewers on the first night than the Democratic National Convention attracted on its first night. Politico So, it wasn't just me fell asleep there.
Three million fewer is just about the margin by which Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton four years ago.
Wasn't enough. May not be enough this time either.
I s'pose we'll have to wait and see.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Another thing I noticed on my own: The Republicans have better lookin' women on stage. That kinda tracks along with FoxNews, which is famous for having long-legged blondes as "news" anchors, reading their version of the news to the faithful. (Lot of those leggy blondes are obviously augmented, but that's another subject entirely.)
I managed to listen to Tiffany Trump all the way through her speech. I was getting quite queasy towards the end. The hypocrisy was really starting to wear thin. I have now turned it off. There were a couple of somewhat normal sounding people, but I really got tired of the phrase "radical Democrats" from others.
It's scary that we may get stuck with these people for another 4 years.
I did kind of want to listen to Melania Trump because they said she actually wrote her speech herself, rather than steal from Michelle Obama like she did last time, so I thought it might be interesting. Ah well, maybe I'll catch her on YouTube later.
The Republican National Convention attracted 3 million fewer viewers on the first night than the Democratic National Convention attracted on its first night.
I stuck with the DNC for all 4 nights. I have now only watched parts of nights 1 and 2 of the RNC. I probably won't bother to tune into the last 2 nights. So if my behavior is anything like what others may do, I suspect that that 3 million figure will grow.
There are rumors going around that a "friend of the family" has tapes of Melania disparaging her husband, Donald, and that they'll be made public by the 1st of the month.
Hmmm...I'm of two minds on that one. While it's probably what he deserves, it does seem to be a rather nasty trick. But then politics can be a dirty business.
Assuming it is true.
"I managed to listen to Tiffany Trump all the way through her speech."
I managed to have Tiffany Trump on-screen for her entire speech, and then, when you mentioned it, I realized I had no clue what she said. I hadn't taken in a damn word of it. I mean, absolutely no clue what she said. I was reading, and usually I can kinda absorb what they're saying on-screen, which is why I often have the TV playing in the background while I'm reading, but I got absolutely no clue what she was talking about; subject matter totally escapes me, much less what she might have said. I just didn't take it in for some reason.
I think her boobs are fake; like Avanka's. I am certain about Ivanka's.
Okay, I'm not sure how many people will notice this, but Melania was weaving down that long "runway" model's walk they gave her to show off in. It'll be on tape somewhere. Go back and watch where her feet land starting about middle of the way down that first long "runway".
Well, now we know why she cribbed from Michelle Obama's speech last time.
Watching the conventions these last two weeks reminded me just how cringe-inducingly awful US politics is. The DNC was all simpering sycophancy, cloyingly sweet background music, and soft focus caricatures of the nominee and his running mate. Since Biden is so uninspiring they bigged up on Harris as their appeal to the ethnic minority vote, which the Dems are obviously scared will stay at home in droves like they did for Hilary. It goes without saying that Kamala Harris has as little in common with those of US slave ancestry as Obama did. But for the Dems it's all about skin colour, as the party establishment is a bunch of paternalistic racists. Biden and CNN were of one voice about how "little black girls" all over America were now seeing that anyone could make it to high office.
As you would expect, the main candidates were left to make lofty (in a cringy way) speeches while the lesser minions were given the attack dog job. The same M.O. was in evidence for the RNC which was equally cringey, but in a different way. Now it was all patriotic background music, reminiscent of Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan. The naturalisation ceremony that served as a backdrop to one of Trump's speeches was brilliantly staged -- they had black and brown people, men and women, even someone in a headscarf -- it was supposed to scream that Trump was all about diversity. There was something distinctly weird and disturbing about Trump's children extolling his virtues (as there was for that soft-focus stuff about Kamala Harris at the DNC). Melania was as wooden as you'd expect -- not as wooden as that poisonous old hag Pelosi, but that's not saying much.
Speaking of which, I see Pelosi predictably incurred no ire for repeatedly calling her political opponents "enemies of the state". For some reason she gets a free pass from the chatterati for comments that would have panties all atwist had Trump said it. But that's the nature of modern American politics. Everyone has bunkered down in their impregnable political echo chambers (this comment thread being a good example). I'm coming to the conclusion that the American people have got the politics they deserve, and a November choice between truly awful and really truly awful.
"I see Pelosi predictably incurred no ire for repeatedly
calling her political opponents 'enemies of the state'."
You should read more widely. FoxNews, New York Post, Washington Times, The National Review, even Sputnick News….
"For some reason she gets a free pass from the chatterati for
comments that would have panties all atwist had Trump said it."
Trump unabashedly and repeatedly claims to be an enemy of the state. It's one of his campaign themes that he's implacably aligned against the state. (He prefers to add a pejorative adjective to the noun, but he proudly makes the claim.) Why should folks get twisted if Pelosi agrees with him on that point?
(Of course, FoxNews, New York Post, Washington Times, The National Review, even Sputnick News, et al., get themselves all "atwist" about Pelosi anyway, but that don't mean it makes good sense, nor that Petes should get a pass for weighing in as a supposed political pundit, just to also not make any sense.)
If the Dems put forth a serious candidate, like say a Bill Clinton type,they could prolly win. But they put out senile Biden and the Pitt bull Harris, both of whome will scare away the white working class - nope.
So again Trump will of course lose the total numbers of votes but still carry enough sw8ng states to remain president.
Bet that!
"So again Trump will of course lose the total numbers of votes…"
That would mean that the Republicans lost the popular vote for the Presidency eight out of the last nine times. (The one exception being Dubya's reëlection bid against John Kerry in 2004.)
And Lee on the topic of police shooting I gotta ask:
Why can’t some folks of a darker shade ever realize that running from cops and reaching into clothing or into vehicles when a cop has a gun aimed at you is a bad idea?
Myself, even in Sweden where cops are way less trigger happy would just stop, get on the ground, get my hands behind my back - if a police officer ordered me to do so.
Surely you must realize most cops are not out to kill people. And that the vast majrity of them eve; in the US don’t want to fire their gun. But they still have protocol, protocol they are taught. And when a violent offender runs from them and opens a car and reaches in - that’s a solid case to open fire.
Lee
“ That would mean that the Republicans lost the popular vote for the Presidency eight out of the last nine times. (The one exception being Dubya's reëlection bid against John Kerry in 2004.)”
Yup. That sounds bout right. You wanna change that you’d have to go to changing the electorate system.
And if that was the case the Dems would surley win.
But that is notthe case.
"Why can’t some folks of a darker shade ever realize…"
Fear for one's life can interfere with measured logical reasoning. In this particular case, also taking a solid beating by a crowd of cops might have helped amplify that effect.
"Surely you must realize most cops are not out to kill people."
Yes, I realize that. I also realize the problem does exist and it is systemic and it's a hell of lot worse and much more widespread than the "few bad apples" that too many people want to pretend is all that's out there.
"And when a violent offender runs from them and opens a car and
reaches in - that’s a solid case to open fire."
There's no evidence available that Jacob Blake had been "violent" with them, or that he was any sort of "offender". You just made that up. (As far as "reaching in" goes, hardly anybody ever gets sat down into a car seat without reaching at least one hand into the car first. I could see where his hand had gone onto the dash area; I assume they could see it even better.)
On the other hand, there is evidence that Blake was black. That seems to have been his most obvious offense against those particular white cops.
And besides, that may make for a "solid case" for backshooting a man in Sweden (although I seriously doubt it), but it's certainly not legal justification in the United States.
"You wanna change that you’d have to go to changing the
electorate system."
By the time we've got the ¾ majority necessary to change The Constitution it won't be necessary to do so. The Republicans will long since have marginalized themselves in the position where their 10% systemic advantage ain't nearly enough.
Dubya, in his memoirs, revealed that he was afraid that he was going to be the last Republican President, ever. Obviously, he was wrong. It's Trump that'll be the last one. (This assumes you accept the premise that Trump is actually a Republican, which is reasonably debatable. He has captured the Republican Party, for now at least, but that don't necessarily make him a Republican President. And, if he runs again in 2024 it may not be on the Republican ticket; ya never know 'bout him.)
I managed to have Tiffany Trump on-screen for her entire speech, and then, when you mentioned it, I realized I had no clue what she said. I hadn't taken in a damn word of it.
You didn't miss much. She, like most of the others I listened to at the RNC, actually did embody the "simpering sycophancy" charge that Petes leveled at the DNC participants. It's hard to believe she went to law school.
Okay, I'm not sure how many people will notice this, but Melania was weaving down that long "runway" model's walk they gave her to show off in.
I had turned off the TV by then and turned it on periodically to see who was speaking. I only caught the last 10 minutes of her speech. I will have to try to find a recording on YouTube to see what you mean.
Someone mentioned that at least Melania touched on Covid-19 and the racial unrest. At least she acknowledged the problems, unlike the others who made everything sound just peachy keen.
But they put out senile Biden and the Pitt bull Harris,...
I don't see Biden as senile, or suffering from dementia as Trump has charged. Having seen up close and personal someone who had dementia I have always suspected that it is Trump who may have early stage dementia. It is his lack of impulse control and vocabulary that make me think that. I can't say about anything else since I can't observe him up close.
As for Harris, a Pit Bull might be what we need in some areas.
According to sources in the State Patrol the situation with the Jacob Black shooting went like this:
The police were called to a domestic dispute. Jacob Black was inside the residence although it is not clear from the source if Black was part of the domestic or trying to break it up. At that time he had a knife. The police officers managed to remove Black from the residence and it was at that point that a struggle ensued. It is not clear what happened to the knife. Black told the officers to leave him alone, he was going to get a gun. At that point he ran around the car, opened the driver's side door and reached in. The officers following him grabbed his shirt and 7 shots were fired, hitting Black, who is now paralyzed.
So, there are lots of holes to fill in. Was there a knife and a gun? If so were they confiscated by the police? Is there any recording of Black shouting at the police to leave him alone, he was going to get a gun? What kind of training did the police have to handle the situation as they did?
To begin with, the "sources in the State Patrol" probably need to learn that the victim's last name is Blake, not Black.
Then it would be good for them to learn that there are two videos in existence both of which clearly show that Blake walked, normal gate, did not run, around the front of his vehicle to the driver's side door.
Meanwhile we now have protests in Kenosha which have destroyed property and vigilantes roaming the streets shooting people. Two people have been killed and another wounded. The shooter walked right by the police who ignored him when he tried to give up. They are looking for him now.
"The shooter walked right by the police who ignored him when
he tried to give up."
I had read earlier that the Kenosha police were studiously ignoring most of the arsonists and looters, something of a police strike while still drawing their pay. One report said they were "protecting" City Hall, but studiously ignoring all other potential problems.
To begin with, the "sources in the State Patrol" probably need to learn that the victim's last name is Blake, not Black.
Nope, that was purely my typo. And, yes, I do know his name.
As I understand it he was tased during that struggle, which might have hampered his movements. That may or may not be accurate. I forget where I heard that from. It was also I that said "run". Because that was what it looked like he was trying to do.
No, the source was clarifying the situation as the police saw it when they showed up at the domestic. Blake was inside the house, with a knife and after he was taken outside he threatened to get a gun. That's all. Whether that is actually what happened will depend on what they have evidence of.
I had read earlier that the Kenosha police were studiously ignoring most of the arsonists and looters, something of a police strike while still drawing their pay.
The guy who did the shooting was a vigilante. He walked right by a line of police with his hands up carrying the firearm he used to shoot the protesters who tried to stop him. Yes, he was white.
"…purely my typo… *** …It was also I that said 'run'."
I see. I was thinking they were gonna have a tough time selling the rest of their story if they were pushing such easily refuted facts at the beginning of their investigation.
Jacob Blake trivia: The cop fired seven shots point blank at Jacob Blake, missed with three of them. Got the guy cornered and pinned between the car door and the door post; got him by the shirttail, and still missed almost half his shots.
Republican National Convention trivia: The Republican Party skipped the customary practice of preparing a party "platform" this year. The "platform" is the official statement of priorities and goals, principals and beliefs, the secular "dogma" if you will, of a political party.
This year the Republican party decided to skip that traditional element of their convention. They will produce no "platform" for 2020.
In its place they have adopted a resolution in which they "‛unanimously agreed to reassert the party’s strong support for President Donald Trump and his administration,’ and resolved that ‛the Republican Party has and will continue to enthusiastically support the president’s America-first agenda’." And they agreed to take up the issue of the party platform again in 2024.
In other words, the current Republican Party platform is to enthusiastically support Donald J. Trump, whatever he wants they'll back. That's their official "platform".
That's it. That's all there is. That's what the Republican Party stands for these days.
Good things comin' to Kenosha? I wouldn't bet on it.
"We will NOT stand for looting, arson, violence, and
lawlessness on American streets. My team just got off the
phone with Governor Evers who agreed to accept federal
assistance (Portland should do the same!) TODAY.
"I will be sending federal law enforcement and the National
Guard to Kenosha, WI to restore LAW and ORDER!"
TrumpTweets
I thought the National Guard was controlled at the state level and it was the governor's call to send them in?
I didn't even turn on the RNC. I read a book instead. It was a better use of my time.
Well, I got the TV turned on to the Republican convention, but I never did get settled in to watch it. I wandered through the room a couple of times, but never did light down, and I don't recall who was on the screen the couple of times I wandered through.
The star of the night was supposed to be Mike Pence, whom I find boring. The notion of watching him praise Trump never did draw my interest.
The national guard is under state control in normal service, but they also serve as "reserve" forces to the federal military. They can be "called up" to serve the federal government.
Further details on the Jacob Blake shooting seem to corroborate the story of a knife. One was found in the passenger side of the car. No gun was found. So that makes that "source" rather questionable. Perhaps Blake was trying to ditch the knife when he leaned into the car? Or get it? Although why walk all the war around the car when it was in the passenger side?
It sounds like from the latest story that Jacob Blake may have been the boyfriend of one of the women at the house and supposedly wasn't supposed to be there. That makes the story that he was trying to break up a fight there questionable as well.
Meanwhile the police have arrested a 17 year old boy as the shooter of the people at the protest in Kenosha, two of whom died. He is from Illinois and has some kind of fetish for the police. (My description.) He stated that he wanted to protect businesses and help people in Kenosha.
So we see what happens when someone who is inexperienced with the reality of handling firearms in volatile situations brings one to a protest. That is the problem with vigilantes. And that is what happens when people encourage this kind of behavior with their words.
"Perhaps Blake was trying to ditch the knife when he leaned into the car?"
You really think the cops would have let him get up and walk away carrying a knife? (Not to mention the absurdity of waiting 'til after he'd tossed the knife to shoot him.)
I think there are a lot of holes in that story on both sides. The family at first said Blake was there to break up a domestic dispute, but the dispatcher said the caller told her he wasn't supposed to be there and refused to leave. I would assume that is recorded. The only reason I can think of for him not supposed to be there is a restraining order. Anyway, the knife was found in the car, and as you say, it's doubtful the police would have let him walk around armed, so that means Blake wasn't brandishing a knife in the house. And there was no gun, so the person that was spreading that tale was either misinformed or lying. No clue as to who started that story.
I don't know if it's been established yet that the "caller" (presumably the resident) was Blake's girlfriend as you seem to assume. I've heard it said that the first thing he's known to have done was get one of his sons into the car, and only then did he follow a woman into the house. I've been wondering if the resident there was paid day-care for one of his boys. Could be the other woman was his girlfriend.
Lots left to learn.
And I don't think the cops would be shouting at Blake to 'drop the knife" in the hope of being able to find a knife later. I suspect it may have been planted. (Other explanations are available, but I'm entertaining that idea as well.)
This just keeps on being weird. The authorities are being vague as hell. Now the Minnesota AG is saying that Blake was "near a knife" when he was shot. NBCNews And the AG said that "a man was at the residence of a woman and was not supposed to be there. He did not say whether that man was Blake."
No mention of a second woman, but instead we get hints that Blake may not have been the "boyfriend" previously referenced. (And then again…)
Just keeps on being weird. And meantime they're being extremely slippery about just what the hell their "official" story is eventually gonna be.
In what appears to be a "show 'em who's boss" move, the Kenosha Police Department has handcuffed Jacob Blake to the side bars of his hospital bed.
Nobody wants to say what he's charged with, if anything. ChicagoSunTimes
Trump has seated the grounds for a large crowd for his acceptance speech this evening.
He probably needs that. He's wooden and tends to "sing-song" when reading from a teleprompter. He needs his crowds to play off of.
The potential downside is he might be tempted to start riffing while the camera is on, which could be bad if a lot of non-Trumpkins are watching.
Lynnette,
So we see what happens when someone who is inexperienced with the reality of handling firearms in volatile situations brings one to a protest. That is the problem with vigilantes. And that is what happens when people encourage this kind of behavior with their words.
I'm sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about. Kyle Rittenhouse absolutely knew how to use his weapon. I know something about firearms -- and learned from a brother who is a Marine sharpshooter. Watch the video. His composure is what stands out. And he'a an excellent shot.
That he killed, in obvious self defense, a child molester and a domestic abuser is just good news.
And is wasn't a "protest." Just the usual collection of scum bent on arson and vandalism.
The funny part is that when Rosenbaum, the child molester, was shot and lay there with a death gurgle, what did these "protesters" yell immediately?
Call the police!
You can't make it up.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Ah, I see you've been following the 4chan version of events in Kenosha. (That one's playing on RT.COM as well--"RT" used to be known as "Russia Today".)
I'd been wondering where you were getting your information.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Trump finally finished his acceptance speech. He ran just over 70 minutes, and mostly managed to stick to his telepromptered text.
And, just by the way, the kid weren't that good. He lost his gun. Only got it back because he had it tied on, and the guy who grabbed it up off the street panicked, dropped it and started to run, when he found out Rittenhouse had it tied to himself.
Lee C.,
Here's a by the way for you.
I have no dog in this fight, but even here from a small city in China, I can see that Trump is going to win in November. And most likely he's going to ... Win Bigly.
I hope you and Lynnette are preparing for four more years of Donald Trump.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
If anyone would like a sober, detailed analysis of the Rittenhouse video clips from a lawyer:
Kyle Rittenhouse Shooting: New Videos, Map, Audio Visual Analysis by Criminal Defense Lawyer
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"…what did these 'protesters' yell immediately?
"Call the police!"
That appears to not be true either. (It apparently is true that the "crowd", as it were, identified Rittenhouse to the police when they came through the scene later--some cops afoot, some in armored vehicles. They yelled for Rittenhouse to be arrested 'cause he 'just shot a guy', pretty much a vain effort, the cops ignored both the accusers and Rittenhouse and moved on by. Police spokesmen later describe it as "tunnel vision" on the part of the police.)
Not getting much attention yet:
"Video taken before the shooting shows police tossing bottled
water from an armored vehicle and thanking civilians armed
with long guns walking the streets. One of them appears to be
Rittenhouse."
WashingtonPost
Lee C.,
"Call the Police!" starts at the 0.56 mark.
Kenosha Shooting 4 Aug 26 2020
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee C.,
Of course, we don't have to talk about the Rittenhouse case, but if you want to, my God, man, you have to at least watch all the available videos. Usually you don't half-ass it, but this time you are.
Again, if you'd rather commiserate with Lynnette about your upcoming sense of depression and whether you should move to Canada, that's cool with me. But if you'd like to talk about Rittenhouse and Kenosha, do at least some basic research.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
At 56 seconds into your video, there'd been a lot of talking already going on already. It was hardly the "first" thing they yelled.
Can't stick with ya this morning. Gotta make a run. Be back later.
Lee C.,
All right. Later.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Back.
So any comment on four more years of Trump? Be honest now, Lee. You know that a win for Trump -- even a big win -- is most likely going to happen in two months.
Siding with protest and lawlessness is a losing strategy for the Democrats. And Biden is at best a very weak candidate.
On Rittenhouse, I'll give you more time for research.
Listen, that "Call the Police!" is just funny. Even later, they were calling out to the police. "Hey, this guy was shooting people!" Bunch of dumbbells.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"So any comment on four more years of Trump?"
I know you're just trolling. You don't believe that any more than I do. (You may be wishin' hard, but you ain't dumb enough yet to mistake wishin' for believin'.)
"On Rittenhouse, I'll give you more time for research."
Yeah, I can translate that one too. But, since we both already know what that particular piece of bravado is supposed to cover up, there's no current need for me to rub it in.
"Listen, that 'Call the Police!' is just funny."
Gotta leave somethin' for Lynnette.
Hiya Jeffrey!
“I'm sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about. Kyle Rittenhouse absolutely knew how to use his weapon. I know something about firearms -- and learned from a brother who is a Marine sharpshooter. Watch the video. His composure is what stands out. And he'a an excellent shot.”
The kid actually seems to handle the weapon quite well. But I kinda have to agree w Lynnette on the folly of civilians bringing weapons into a charged situation to do what law enforcement should be doing. I’m sure this kid didn’t ever envision shooting someone dead, and I am pretty sure he didn’t want to do that and now feels shitty both for the killings and scared shitless of the possible consequences.
Well, you should never bring a gun into a situation unless you plan to possibly use it. And going to a BLM riot and actually end up using a gun is a losing proposition. You yourself certainly gain nothing, the cause you stand for gain nothing, so you put your life at risk with nothing to gain and everything to lose and for what? Protecting a car park owned by someone else?
I say let the anarchists riot, let the Dem local leadership fail at containing them, and take the win at the polls in 2 months. Do not play badass with guns in the streets.
"The kid actually seems to handle the weapon quite well."
Yeah, I was especially impressed with the part where he fell down and dropped the gun. (If any of those guys chasing him had known even a little bit about how to deal with that situation Rittenhouse woulda ended up with the gun laid out crossways on his adam's apple and a grownup sitting on his chest waiting for the cops to get there. First guy probably still woulda been dead; I didn't get a good look at that one-- but it looks like he just up and shot the guy in the head and then stood around trying to figure out what to do until it finally occurred to him to run away.)
"The kid actually seems to handle the weapon quite well."
Check out Jeffry's video. Seven shots at close range and he seems to have hit Rosenbaum only once. Hell, even the cop who shot Jacob Blake had a better hit percentage than that.
His good handling is not that he didn’t kill more people, his good handling is that in must would have been a highly stressful situation he didn’t just unload. As soon as he got a window to back away and flee he stopped shooting. If he really had wanted to kill people he could have killed several more. It’s his restraint that makes him a good gun handler, and the marksmanship also, what he shot at he hit.
This is prolly the best recap I’ve found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbsOIoqcit4&bpctr=1598629437
Still, I maintain its complete folly for people like Kyle to venture out into these situations with guns. Nothing good will come from it. Not personally, not societal, not politically.
"…his good handling is that in must would have been a highly
stressful situation he didn’t just unload…"
Once again, seven shots at Rosenbaum, who was unarmed, in fairly short "unload" order I might add. And he scored one hit.
"As soon as he got a window to back away and flee…."
Better look at that video again. He went straight for his cellphone. He had to call somebody and ask what to do before it crossed him mind to "flee". (I'm wondering who he called, may not make a difference, but….)
…before it crossed his mind…
Lee: “if any of those guys chasing him had known even a little bit about how to deal with that situation Rittenhouse woulda ended up with the gun laid out crossways on his adam's apple and a grownup sitting on his chest waiting for the cops to get there.”
Yeah, but them there are YOUR crowd Lee. Antifa people. They are more often than not completely useless unless they outnumber you 10 to 1. Like child molesters and white beaters and just the absolute scum of this earth who find they suddenly can go out and cause mayhem and destruction and be praised for it as they do it in the name of anti fascism or some such thing. Seeing a couple of em pierced by hot lead brings actual joy to my heart, I have to confess, but it’s sad that a seemingly nice kid like Kyle was the one to maybe ruin his future to do so.
"Yeah, but them there are YOUR crowd Lee…"
Nope. Not even.
And, just by the way, while we're on the subject…. Rittenhouse doesn't get to plead self-defense. (Unless, by some strange turn of events, he can show that Rosenbaum was trying to kill him, which I don't buy without some rather compelling evidence.)
Once he'd shot and killed the unarmed Rosenbaum, murder that's usually named, he doesn't get to plead "self-defense" for killing those other folks while he's trying to flee the scene of his initial crime. They were entitled to try to subdue him--they'd seen him kill a man. He was not legally entitled to kill even more people trying to escape from the first murder. That's not how self-defense works.
Lee:
“ Once again, seven shots at Rosenbaum, who was unarmed, in fairly short "unload" order I might add. And he scored one hit.”
Fairly sure he shot 4 shots, while running backwards. You’re counting echoes. Look at the vid Jeffrey posted, 3-4 shots maximum.
“He went straight for his cellphone. He had to call somebody and ask what to do before it crossed him mind to "flee".”
Quite obviously he was shocked and tried to stay and call 911 but had to flee when an angry crowd crowded in on him. What do you think? He was calling David Duke for advice?
"He was calling David Duke for advice?"
Not David Duke, but probably the guy who brought him to Kenosha.
Lee C.,
Once? Check the autopsy. You're as dense as those who were trying to apply pressure to a superficial head wound. The real damage was inside.
Marcus,
I agree with you. If the police were allowed to keep the restless hordes from torching local businesses, Rittenhouse would not have felt compelled to join the citizens' protection detail.
Off to bed. Late here in China.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"You’re counting echoes."
Don't think so. And he did have a high capacity clip.
"Once? Check the autopsy."
I stand corrected.
Still you’re counting echoes. Look at the vid Jeffrey posted, it has a sound analysis spectrum. Kyle fired maybe 3 but most likely 4 shots. AFTER another initial shot was fired, maybe not at him but he must have heard it. Also the repeat felon Rosenbaum chasing him was throwing things at him, one of the items that was on fire, which looks like a Molotov cocktail that didn’t burst.
He then fired maybe 4 shots, while running in reverse, and got a headshot with one of them. Rosenbaum will pester no more people from then on.
Lee:
“Once he'd shot and killed the unarmed Rosenbaum, murder that's usually named, he doesn't get to plead "self-defense" for killing those other folks while he's trying to flee the scene of his initial crime. They were entitled to try to subdue him--they'd seen him kill a man. He was not legally entitled to kill even more people trying to escape from the first murder. That's not how self-defense works.”
I am too unfamiliar w how your laws work and they are different from every state it seems, so I would not presume to have an informed opinion as to the legality/illegality of that situation.
Here it would b illegal to even venture out with that kind of weapon, or any weapon really. So I guess we’ll see what happens to Kyle in court.
"Look at the vid Jeffrey posted."
Better you should look at this one.
Lee: “ And he did have a high capacity clip.”
Looks like a standard clip to me. An AR is by default kinda “high capacity” but Kyles clip was just a standard magazine. Was it a 20 or was it a 30 round magazine? I can’t tell. Both are pretty standard, and it’s not as if he even used more than 6-7 rounds anyway. It’s not like he sported a 100 round drum roll and was bent on a killing spree.
I looked at your suggested clip again. The audio graph on the bottom shows a total of eight (8) spikes. One that the manipulator tries to identify as someone else firing a gun (which he hints was fired at Rittenhouse, but there's little to support that notion).
Then there are seven (7) more audio spikes--the last three louder and differently spaced than the first four--echoes do not come back louder than the initial sound, and four audio spikes are NOT going to produce three differently spaced echoes.
"An AR is by default kinda “high capacity”…"
No. A 20 round clip is almost always an extra charge (or an aftermarket).
Lee
“ Better you should look at this one.”
Holy shit that’s gruesome.
I still don’t thing all the shots heard in that sequence is from Kyle. Some are heard as his weapon is down already. And in a later clip there’s a whole lot of gun fire as he runs w his weapon across his chest clearly not shooting. There were more people firing weapons then and 5here.
But fuck all that. You want to see Kyle fry and you want to blame Trump for all of this. I say Kyle is maybe not innocent completely but was a kid caught up in a shitty situation, and I wanna blame the Dems for not controlling society but letting it burn instead. So 5here we are, different oppinions.
But maybe, maybe, we can both agree that bringing firearms to protests, or counter protests, is a bad idea?
"…we can both agree that bringing firearms to protests, or
counter protests, is a bad idea?"
The Kenosha City Police appear to disagree with your premise (so long as the armed thugs are white):
"Video taken before the shooting shows police tossing bottled
water from an armored vehicle and thanking civilians armed
with long guns walking the streets. One of them appears to be
Rittenhouse."
WashingtonPost
Lee
“ No. A 20 round clip is almost always an extra charge (or an aftermarket).”
So everybody in the whole of USA is going for “high capacity” magazines then? Bc myself I have never seen a YouTube clip or read a blog post about an AR w less than a 20 round magazine, and frankly 30 rounds seem to be the standard.
If you got yourself an AR Lee, maybe you have one since I seem to remember you being a gun owner, would you just load it one shell at a time like a bolt action rifle or would you get a magazine, and if so what size would you get?
I have a few 20 round magazines and at least one 30 round.
"If the police were allowed to keep the restless hordes from
torching local businesses…"
There have been hints, not yet substantiated, but enough to make mention…. There have been suggestions that the Kenosha Police have been simply turning a blind eye to most of those restless hordes, with the intention punishing their citizens and the City for having the unmitigated gall to suggest that they cannot shoot young black men whenever they choose to do so.
Holy shit just watced Trumps acceptance speech. Awesome. Compared to a Biden’s it’s not even close.
I feared a Trump loss after his abysmal Tulsa attempt at a rally. Thought, maybe he just doesn’t even want it.
But no. Trump is action again and from what I saw there’s just no way for a Dem victory, other than cheating at mail fraud.
Put these two men up against eachoyher in a 6 hour debate and Trump will just obliterate feeble Joe. So I guess the Dems will blame Corona to try to dodge any real debate.
"Put these two men up against eachoyher in a 6 hour debate…"
It's gonna be six hours total, two hours at a time. First meeting a month from tomorrow--29th of September.
I'm predicting a hard time for Trump, who's been living within his bubble these past three years.
In fact, I won't be at all surprised if he finds a reason to not appear for the second two, or either of them.
…one of the items that was on fire, which looks like
a Molotov cocktail that didn’t burst."
It wasn't on fire, it was mostly not much in a too large plastic bag--what you took to be flame was just fluttering plastic bag. They got pictures of it later, just sittin' there on the ground where it fell.
Lee C.,
I stand corrected.
Thanks for that. We may disagree a lot on interpretation, but I can generally count on you knowing the basic facts. I realized here that you hadn't looked closely enough at the Rittenhouse case yet.
The autopsy describes the reality of Rosenbaum's situation, and it's etched with the blackest humor. Rosenbaum's last minute of consciousness and life was feeling the unnecessary pain of untrained bystanders applying pressure to a superficial wound on his head while his internal organs were shutting down from the damage of wounds they can't see. Earlier in the evening, he had taunted the people guarding the local businesses, "Shoot me, nigga!"
Fate decided this was too perfect to let pass.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee C.,
I posted two videos, one detailed analysis by the lawyer and the second one showing the last minute of Rosenbaum's life. You just posted the same video from Bitchute that I had posted earlier. What's going on? Could you focus a bit more?
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
Lee C.,
Have you found anything about the contents of the plastic bag? There was obviously something heavy inside, but what? Library books? A bottle of water? A bottle of Stoli now filled with gasoline and stuffed with a rag ready to light? All those businesses don't burn down by themselves. The so-called peaceful protesters come prepared for arson.
Yes, I'm speculating, but if you can find out, that would be great.
Rosenbaum came for the arson, left with the ultimate parting gift. Death.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
"There was obviously something heavy inside, but what?"
"Heavy" is a relative term. Video of the "molotov" show an aerodynamic performance suggesting that the contents of the bag were much lighter than a brick, half empty if a standard sized water bottle. Link
(I'm not endorsing the bogus "sex offender" accusation against Rosenbaum with this reference, but they do provide a reasonably clear shot of the arc of the plastic bag here. That is, assuming Facebook hasn't conclusively refuted the allegation and pulled the clip by the time you see this link. A quick search of the Wisconsin Sex Offenders Registry and the Arizona Sex Offenders Registry will reveal that the 4chan and Russia Today sponsored allegations on that subject are bogus. The on-line "documents" supposedly documenting his non-existent sex crime convictions are forgeries, likely either from the 4chan folks or from the continuing Russian disinformation efforts.)
And, no, I don't know what was in the bag.
"What's going on?"
Marcus needed his attention directed to that video is "what's going on".
Post Script: Other pictures of the plastic bag appear to show it laying flat on the parking lot. It might have a book inside (small book); almost certainly not a Stoli bottle nor a bottle of any significant size.
I watched the video analysis by the lawyer. So who fired that first shot? Was it into the air? And, if so, why? Rittenhouse apparently shot Rosenbaum. Then after he see's what he has done, calls someone and then runs away. He is chased by the crowd. You can hear someone asking what he did and is told that he shot someone. The lawyer makes the case that Rittenhouse is acting in self defense when the people chasing him catch up to him after he falls. One of those people has a gun and therefore when Rittenhouse shoots it is self defense. But if Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum first and the people chasing him are just trying to stop him, why would that be self defense? Did the guy with the gun even fire it at Rittenhouse?
As for the mysterious bag, brick or no brick, everyone is talking about, it wasn't thrown at Rittenhouse that I could see.
What about the guy filming the shooting? He yelled something about "antifa" and "he's got a gun, baby".
Was the guy who fired that first shot the same one who was chasing Rittenhouse?
I think the lawyer is right, this case will prove to be very interesting.
Holy shit just watced Trumps acceptance speech. Awesome.
I didn't bother. I'm tired of the lies.
"Was the guy who fired that first shot the same one who
was chasing Rittenhouse?"
You mean Grosskreutz? Don't know.
And I'm not yet sure that supposed "muzzle flash" was actually a muzzle flash. (I'm still waiting for real evidence of that one.) It may have been simply a momentary reflection off of something light colored, pumped up by that lawyer's need to see a muzzle flash.
I found some better footage of the shootings and the bag, which actually did appear to be thrown at Rittenhouse.
One of the commenters:
On the surface this seems like a thorough analysis, however NBC has left off critically important exculpatory details which are available in other youtube videos. For example, there was NO mention of the fact someone fired a handgun into the air as Kyle was being chased by Rosenbaum. Kyle most likely thought is came from Rosenbaum, who was very belligerent towards Kyle earlier.
NBC news is either willfully or negligently ignoring important details. You decide. But beware that this is NOT the complete story and many other analyses are available which present a more thorough storyline.
UPDATE: Tucker Carlson has an interview with the photographer (McGinniss) who was closest to Rosenbaum and Kyle (12 feet, he said). He confirmed that a gunshot happened from the handgun 20 yards away. That gunshot appeared to make Kyle stop running and turn around at which time Rosenbaum tried to grab the barrel of Kyle's gun. Kyle side-stepped and fired at Rosenbaum as he lunged.
So again my question of who fired that shot and why? Perhaps as a provocation?
Lynnette,
Yes, that first shot -- and obviously not from Rittenhouse -- is a real puzzle. It may have set off the entire chain of instantaneous events.
I hadn't heard about the Tucker Carlson interview. I'll check that out. Thanks.
Jeffrey -- Ningbo, China
*
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