February 23, 2020

depeche mode - new life (studio-1981) cuz if we're doing early 80's synth 2nite

Finally going to R&R HoF this year ... well-deserved ...

February 23, 2020

I received two pieces of mail this week Welcoming me to my New Home, with coupons ...

Only, dig this ... my name ain't Cathy.

And I've owned this home for 5+ years.

The address was indeed mine.

And none of my nearby neighbors have changed lately either TTBOMK.

They're just like random stuff like BB&B and Ashley's, nothing official.

My credit report is fine, checked that first thing.

Thing is I've only seen this like 3 times since I've been here, now two in one week, addressed to the same Cathy person.

Thoughts?

February 22, 2020

I think that the fact that no OTHER Senators 'told us a month ago' about the briefing ... matters

We're all trying to gauge what Bernie's motivations were for 'not telling us for a month' (which personally I think is no big deal myself in part because we've all known since 2016, but regardless), do we agree on that?

So, ostensibly, the 'reason(s)' for the lack of candor are important (or at minimum should be IF you're all upset about it), but we're unsure of those reasons, right?

Now ... one thing we DO know ... is that a group of Senators from both parties were privy to this information, that Putin was interfering on behalf of Sanders, about a month ago, right?

And we can logically presume that one of two situations exists with regards to the divulging of this information.

Case 1) They were told (and remember, the guy who's TELLING them this ... was part of Trump's Nat'l Security Team ... he's now fired, but ... at the time) that there's an ongoing counter-intelligence investigation going on, and that this information is classified and not meant for public consumption because that informs the target.
OR
Case 2) They were told they can do whatever they want with this information, that it's not important in a counter-intelligence investigation to NOT let the subject of the investigation KNOW that they're being investigated.

I would interject here that we already know how Trump himself feels about public discussion about Russia interfering in US elections. Does it not seem LIKELY that Trump's guy giving the briefing would tell them ... not to discuss it publicly, in light of how he knows his boss feels about the subject, if for no other reason?

Another thing we know: NOBODY ELSE, not just Bernie, but neither the GOP nor the Democratic Senators ... said anything for a month.

So lets consider the two above scenarios, WRT both GOP and Democratic Senators:

Case 1) Both Dems and GOP adhered to what they were told, and/or believed to be appropriate behavior with regards to the matter, and did not say anything. Bernie is just another of this group of people. Simple explanation, one that makes sense, and comports with facts that are known.

Case 2a) The GOP Senators - Given the complete go-ahead to divulge this information at will, a whole bunch of factors could come into play regarding what they logically do with this info.

One could argue they, like Trump, want Bernie to win the nomination, and they know Trump hates talk of Russian interference, so they kept quiet for that reason.

On the flip side is that this info provides the opportunity to put the Dems in array, damage the current front-runner, and (hopefully in their minds) taint the entire Democratic field, making it seem like 'Russia is out to cause chaos, they don't REALLY prefer Trump, they like Dems too!', and hope to make that argument successfully when it comes to general.

I would argue that the former is MORE likely, but by no means a certainty. Ergo, it's not unreasonable to question why, IF everyone was free to talk about this ... no Republicans decided to do so.

Case 2b) The Democrats - If they were free to talk about this info, we would certainly have expected all of them to come out of the briefing and promptly announce what is going on, because after all ... the People, the Voters ... deserve to know. RIGHT?

Democrats have been pounding the drum about Russian interference for 4 years now. This briefing, straight from the Trump Administration that Russia is interfering, even if it's on behalf of Sanders ... would be like catnip to them. They would be DYING to tell the public. Trumps people are admitting it FFS!

Especially given that it's very likely that other Dems who are high-ranked enough to receive this info ... support other options for the Dem candidate besides Bernie. AND Bernie's not a Democrat.

So there's almost no scenario I can conjure up where, if the Democrats were free to tell us, that it's LIKELY ... that they would not have done so immediately.

But if they DID fail to tell us ... then why isn't everyone just as mad at the rest of them for failing to do so? Particularly if you're arguing it was OH SO IMPORTANT that 'we voters were told'?

Now, a couple other points:

1) TTBOMK, Biden, Klobuchar, and Liz have (so far) declined to blast Sanders for having done something wrong. They are all in a position to know at minimum whether it was appropriate for Bernie to have kept his mouth shut about this. He's their main rival, but they don't seem to be blasting him for it. That seems ... pertinent to our little investigation, yeah?

2) TTBOMK, we don't know who eventually 'leaked' the contents of the briefing. In the event nobody was supposed to talk ... Bernie's apparent 'anger at the leak' ... makes a great deal of sense.

It also could inform us to why he called out both the Dem and GOP 'establishments' ... he doesn't KNOW who leaked, but suspects it was done to harm him before Nevada by one or the other.

Could easily have been a Democratic Senator who favors Joe or Amy or Liz. Hence he's pissed off, because they f***ed him, knowing it would make him look bad with other Dem voters for not divulging that intel himself. Which is working at least here on DU.

To sum up ... I honestly think that, when you stop and consider the totality of this situation ... the MOST LIKELY scenario ... is the Senators who were given this information, Bernie included, believed they were obligated NOT TO TELL THE PUBLIC.

Feel free to counter-argue against these observations in the comments below

February 21, 2020

paul mccartney - band on the run/let me roll it/helter skelter (letterman-2009)

I forgot how much I dig the tune 'let me roll it' ... haven't heard it in forever ... and this version ROCKS. Esp. with Paul doing his Jimi Hendrix impression at the end

Also, I LOVE Paul's drummer ... he's a friggin' beast on the kit ...

Edit ... the link would help, yeah?

February 21, 2020

So, it was warm today (hit 80F) I think that's why the Roly-Poly's are having a convention

out on my friggin back porch. Can't even go out there for fear of squishing the little suckers, there's like 200 of 'em on a 10 x 6ft slab.

It's really, really nice out, probably 68F, with just a hint of moisture to air. These are the kinda nights they come to the patio in a show of force from my lawn.

BTW, fun fact ... did you know Roly Poly's aren't insects, they're land-dwelling crustaceans?

True story ...

February 21, 2020

joe walsh/daryl hall - life's been good (2012 live from daryl's house) pure awesome

These blokes tear the roof off that ol' house on this one ...

And man, that Duesenberg Joe is playing is to freaking DIE FOR. Just GORGEOUS, and killer tone ... DO WANT!

February 19, 2020

john prine - fish and whistle (studio-1978) cause you have to smile when this one's on ...

February 19, 2020

Remember the scene in American Graffiti where the kid tries to buy booze ...

And he goes up the counter and orders like 8 different things, and throws 'and a pint of Old Harpers' into the mix (I think that was the booze he was after), hoping to catch the clerk all distracted-like?

I think that's Trump's plan with the whole 'pardoning a bunch of people' thing.

Thinks he's just gonna pull the old 'and one pack of trident gum, and one Roger Stone, and one comb, and a toenail clippers and ...' stunt on the American Public.

Idiot.

February 17, 2020

the saints - see you in paradise (studio-1986) i wore out the grooves to this record literally

I remember blasting it on the 101 on my way off to school in SLO-town in 1986 on the cassette player in my 1972 240Z ... I know damn near every word to every song on it, still after all these years.

There were lots of great alt-rock guitar bands from down-under in the 80's ... Crowded House/Split Enz, Hoodoo Gurus, The Church, Midnight Oil ... and of course INXS.

These guys sadly never really had a hit song, but honestly this whole album (All Fools Day) is brilliant.

This is probably the only song of theirs anyone in the world but the guys in the band (and me) actually maybe know, and that's cause Springsteen has covered it ... also a killer track, the opener on All Fools Day.



There's two music vids of this song (int'l and US versions) but neither sounds as good as this upload, so ...

February 15, 2020

Hey Mike B if you have people who scan this forum I got a great tweet for you ...

Next time Trump does some lame bragging about his success or wealth ... something along these lines ...

"Donald I tell you what, next time I'm flying Trump Air down to Trump Taj Mahal for a Trump University seminar, I'll make sure to order myself a Trump Steak and Trump Vodka cocktail ... oh, wait ..."