Merry Christmas and Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Mon Dec 25, 2023 at 04:21:56 PM EST
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

If I had my choice of somewhere else to be this holiday season, I think it would be the Arctic Circle-- Finnish Lapland, maybe, home of Santa Village, to see the reindeer. Or on a cruise from the southernmost tip of Ushaia, Argentina, across the Drake Passage, to Antartica. Or maybe, to Tasmania, the Australian island that sits just below it. When I look at the photos of the ocean there, it seems like it is situated at the absolute edge of the world.

Those are pretty puzzling choices for me, since I hate winter and can't stand being cold. I think its because I want to be somewhere isolated and free from the opinions of under-informed, bitter, angry and marginalized Americans -- and especially from politics. [More..]

Since I don't want to discuss anything connected to Trump unless it's that he's going to face a criminal trial before November, 2024, I'll talk about TV I've really liked in 2023.

Yes, it's all foreign TV, but easily accessible on Netflix, Amazon Prime and the like:

#1 drama series: Turkey's "The Tailor" (Netflix)

#2 drama series (also viewed as dark comedy): Israel's "Queens" (Amazon Prime, about an Israeli mafia family whose women take over when the men are all killed on their yacht. (it's dark and funny, kind of like South Korea's "Vicenzo" which I loved two years ago)

#3 Food show: South Korea's "Jinny's Kitchen" on Amazon Prime, takes place in Lake Bachalar, Mexico.

#4 Travel/Adventure reality: Race Across the World (hard to find now); House Hunters International

#5 HGTV Home reality shows: Hillary Farr's "Tough Love" (decorating); Galey Alix's Home in a Heartbeat

Senor de los Cielos is back for Season 9 in January. If you missed season 8, it tells the whole story of Alex Saab (albeit romanticized), who in real life was traded for Americans held hostage in Venezuela this week. He never should have been kidnapped as his jet touched down in Cape Verde for a fuel stop en route to Iran, and sent to America to face charges in the first place. Congrats to his legal team.

Three of the four foreign prisoners held in the U.S. that I've argued should be sent home have now been traded -- Konstantin Yaroshenko and Viktor Bout from Russia, and Alex Saab. Who is still being held? Mehdi Masroor Biswas aka Shami Witness, whose trial has taken 7 years -- he's been in jail in India without bond since December, 2014, for being a relayer/aggregator of ISIS news on Twitter. I've been following the trial on the Indian court's website all along. It's just about over. Court is held once a month.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

< Oscar Pistorius Granted Parole in January | 2024: A Year to Avoid Past Mistakes >

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Merry Christmas and Open Thread | 75 comments (75 topical)

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Insane (5.00 / 3) (#21)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 03:45:33 PM EST

Drop Felony Charge Against Woman Who Suffered Miscarriage, Ohio Doctors Say
A grand jury is expected to vote on whether to indict in the coming weeks, unless the prosecutor drops the charge.

Some of our best friends, etc. (5.00 / 1) (#23)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 06:16:49 PM EST

A report published by UCLA's Williams Institute has found that:

5.5% of U.S. adults overall, or 13,942,200 people, identify as LGBTQ.
Only 1.2% of adults age 65 and older identify as LGBTQ.
However, 15.2% of adults between 18-24 years of age identify as LGBTQ, as do 9.1% of those who are 25-34 years old.
California has the largest number of LGBTQ residents (1,549,600), followed by Texas (1,071,300).
At 7.8%, Oregon has the largest percentage of LGBTQ residents of all fifty states.
Meanwhile, 14.3% of Washington, D.C.'s population identify as LGBTQ.
And finally, 35.9% of all LGBTQ Americans (5,012,300) live in the South, which researchers define as the eleven states of the former Confederacy plus Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Oklahoma.

One major takeaway from this study - for me, anyway - is that given the fairly high percentage of Americans between 18-24 years old (15.2%) who've identified as LGBTQ, young gay people are likely far more comfortable with their sexual orientation than their older contemporaries tend to be.

Therefore, the actual overall percentage of all LGBTQ adults is certainly a lot higher than the 5.5% of the U.S. population as reported in this study.

These generational findings also provide a statistical measure to how far the LGBTQ civil rights movement has actually moved the ball over the last 50 years with regard to evolving societal attitudes and growing tolerance and acceptance. That's certainly a good thing, although there's still a long way to go.

Aloha.

Ya, those who grew up in the (5.00 / 2) (#24)
by leap2 on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 07:04:19 PM EST

blinkered 1950s and '60s (65+) had a rough go of it, when there wasn't the vocabulary or the knowledge, but there WAS LOTS of bigotry and fear. It is not surprising that only 1.2-1.8% identify as gay. I think you're right about the overall percentage of the population is way more than 5.5%. The rule of thumbe used to be 10%. Wonder what ever happened to that number? Maybe it wasn't based on actual science.


: I MO (none / 0) (#25)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 07:10:58 PM EST

its like a ven diagram with lots of overlap.
How many times do you need be intimate with a man to be "gay".
Many married (to women) men need to know.
If we are talking about a person who exclusively has gay experiences, I could believe the number not huge.

: I think it's probably around 10-12%. (none / 0) (#35)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 01:11:48 PM EST

Further, I believe it's a mistake to define human sexuality in strictly black & white terms. As CaptHowdy noted, orientation should be more properly viewed within a broad context of personal experience.
There are certainly a number of homosexual / bisexual men and women who have been married to their gender-opposite number, fathered / borne children and publicly lived their lives in so-called "traditional" families while privately indulging their gay personae on the side (See also "Maestro", Bradley Cooper, dir.). There are also straight men and women who - if they're at all honest with themselves - have had a same-sex infatuation / dalliance or two sometime during their lifetimes. Further, there are probably any number of people, particularly among the younger generations, who are still trying to figure it all out for themselves.
In my opinion, true sexual perversion is practiced by those who deny their acknowledgement of sexuality as anything other than "dirty" or disgusting" or even worse, as a projection of their own personal power or virility. If I had to guess, that particular category is where the majority of sex offenders are likely to reside.
Aloha.

Haley apparently thought (5.00 / 1) (#32)
by KeysDan on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 11:31:36 AM EST

"what caused the civil war" was a trick question. Her curious response leaving out any mention of slavery was followed up the next day with her claim that the question came from a Democrat plant who was out to get her. And, he would not give his name, either.

Gee, he doe not want to give his name or address for all those MAGATs. And, not too smart a political move to keep it going the next day. Sort of like she stepped in manure on day and then the next day she came back to roll around in it.

That response (none / 0) (#46)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 04:35:50 PM EST

blaming Biden for the question was ridiculous. She is a bad politician and most of that is because she's from SC where this is how you get elected. She finally did say she knew it was about slavery after many questions.

With all the history "reeducation" Moms for Hitler are trying to do she should not have been surprised that it was a question. However all she had to do was say slavery and realize she is in NH and this would not even be news.


I keep hearing (none / 0) (#49)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 05:50:01 PM EST

it was New Hampshire and she could have gotten away with it.

I disagree. Every word she says in national news no matter where she is. It would not have been a NH story.


: I don't (none / 0) (#51)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 06:26:43 PM EST

think the comment would have gotten the press it got if she had just said slavery but the right wing sure would have had a fit if she said slavery and I guess that is kind of the point.

HAPPY NEW YEAR (5.00 / 3) (#52)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 09:43:42 AM EST

STRAP IN

My New Year's resolution.. (5.00 / 2) (#63)
by desertswine on Sun Dec 31, 2023 at 07:15:01 PM EST

This year I'm going to get everything done that I meant to do last year.

A happy peaceful new year to everyone.

: I resolve to eat more (none / 0) (#64)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Dec 31, 2023 at 08:35:38 PM EST

fruit and vegetables
Happy New Year
2023 was technically a political "off year". Probably suggests what to expect next year.

Merry Christmas, Jeralyn, ... (none / 0) (#1)
by Donald from Hawaii on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 01:36:29 AM EST

... and everyone here at TalkLeft.

Tasmania is a great place to visit, particularly this time of year because Dec. 20 actually marks the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In fact, right now in Hobart, Tasmania's capital, it's 74°F and sunny.

Have a wonderful week.

It was 65 (none / 0) (#2)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 08:48:14 AM EST

on my deck yesterday.


What a coincidence! (5.00 / 1) (#36)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 01:21:35 PM EST

It was the same over here in Hilo. And at the higher elevations, it's obviously much cooler. But it's also been an incredibly wet and windy winter out here so far, just as it has been in California. Most people probably don't associate Hawaii with hypothermia, but mild cases of it can happen this time of year if you're outside in the mountains or foothills and are caught unprepared for volatile weather conditions.


: Not 65 (none / 0) (#43)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 04:12:42 PM EST

today it snowed. A little.

Trump smells (none / 0) (#3)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 08:50:07 AM EST

It's said to smell like body oder and makeup.

what's that smell?

: I guess this explains why all those big strong men (5.00 / 4) (#5)
by vml68 on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 11:24:49 AM EST

had tears in their eyes!

: None of this (none / 0) (#4)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 10:58:08 AM EST

is surprising to me. Trump sweats a lot I guess due to being overweight. I guess bronzer must smell too.
But also Where's Melania? Back at the attorney for a new pre-nup?

Happy Holidays, and TV shows (none / 0) (#6)
by Coral on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 05:26:52 PM EST

Happy Holidays!

Donald, Tasmania sounds wonderful. Wish I were there, although the Northeast hasn't been too unpleasant so far.

As for TV--we've been watching two Colombian netflix series--Las Villamizar (Blood Ties) and Bolivar. Both about the fight against the Spaniards in South America. The former is about the Villamizar sisters who spy for the liberation forces vs. the Spanish Reconquest.

We'll try some of Jeralyn's recommendations once we finish these.

I just finished season 3 of (none / 0) (#7)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 06:36:47 PM EST

Only Murders in the building

And I watched Oppenheimer today. Didn't see it in theaters. Amazing.


I made the mistake of seeing Oppenheimer in IMAX (none / 0) (#8)
by McBain on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 09:51:04 AM EST

too loud, too much bass or treble or something making it difficult to hear dialog. I'm 0-3 in IMAX experiences. Despite the noise, I enjoyed the film.

Last week I watched Godzilla Minus One in a regular theater. Very well done.

I was planning on seeing Rebel Moon but the reviews are brutal.


Yes,, enjoyed (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by KeysDan on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 03:38:21 PM EST

Oppenheimer. Also in the bio-pic department-- Maestro, streaming on Netflix. A masterpiece--the genius and confliction of Leonard Bernstein embodied by Academy Award-worthy performances by Bradley Cooper as Bernstein and Casey Mulligan as his pained wife, Felicia. Integral to the superb acting and beautiful cinematography is the Bernstein music that wafts throughout the film.


My mother was in Bernstein's circle (5.00 / 6) (#15)
by Peter G on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 09:12:11 AM EST

of friends when he first came to New York, a couple of years before the time when Maestro begins. She was a senior at NYC's High School of Music and Art, while "Lenny" was a year out of college (having studied conducting a while at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia after graduating from Harvard). Bernstein was my then-teenage (future) uncle's piano teacher; their father (my grandfather) was his dentist. So I recognized many of the characters in the movie's early scenes as among their friends, including Betty Comden & Adolph Green, and David Oppenheim. According to Bernstein's later-published correspondence, he discussed with both Oppenheim and Green which of their pretty, talented female friends he or Oppenheim should marry, as beards, to protect their anticipated public success against the dangers of homophobia. Oppenheim in fact married Judy Holliday (seen pushing a baby carriage in the movie, as Lenny cuddles her and Oppenheim's baby and tells the infant, "I slept with both your parents"). Bernstein, as the movie relates, ultimately decided - happily for me - to marry Felicia Montealegre rather than my mother!


A fascinating (none / 0) (#18)
by KeysDan on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 12:32:29 PM EST

story. And, a fascinating period of great luminaries in music and the arts, derived in measure from Tangelwood.

Judy Holliday was David Oppenheim's second wife, but I believe the noted scene in the park where Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) kisses both Oppenheim (Matt Bomer) and Oppenheim's wife was, as depicted in the film, his first wife, the painter, Ellen Adler, played by Kate Eastman.


: On re-consideration, (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by KeysDan on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 12:53:22 PM EST

I believe you are right and I am wrong. Judy Holliday was Oppenheim's first wife (1948 -1957) and the couple had a son who was probably the infant in the park. Ellen Adler was his second wife. The film does not identify Judy Holliday but it is no doubt her.

I haven't watched Oppenheimer yet (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by MO Blue on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 12:31:03 PM EST

But I agree with your review of Maestro. Movie was very well done. Bernstein a great artist with a very complicated personal life.


I Don't Plan to Watch Maestro (none / 0) (#20)
by RickyJim on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 01:04:57 PM EST

because of reviews saying it had little to do with Bernstein's music making; the sexual stuff pales in importance to the music. There are plenty of Youtube videos where Bernstein talks about music and they are quite worthwhile.

I've seen quite a few movies about Oppenheimer and the bomb. One was a miniseries with Oppenheimer played by Sam Waterston. Another good one was "Day One" which is supposedly historically accurate. I've read "American Prometheus" on which the recent "Oppenheimer" is based and am intrigued enough to check out the blu-ray from the library.


Critics (5.00 / 1) (#22)
by KeysDan on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 05:50:36 PM EST

sometimes review a film they wish were made rather that the one that was. Leonard Bernstein is a much studied artist and as you point out, a plethora of videos and recordings of his diverse works.

Maestro cinematically covers critical aspects of his life. The inter-connectivity of the parts make the whole with a greater appreciation of his musical genius.


I tried Maestro but didn't last long (none / 0) (#66)
by McBain on Mon Jan 01, 2024 at 10:25:01 AM EST

I just wasn't into it. Maybe I'll try again another time. Some of the black and white scenes looked fake/hokey. Maybe that was the point? To show another time or how he remembered it? It reminded me of the movie Pleasantville.

I also gave up on The Sound of Freedom. Like Maestro, I heard good things about this but it was going to be too depressing for the mood I was in. Also, the sound was off slightly for my Amazon Prime so the dialog was annoying.

Yeah, I'm picky when it comes to film.


Yes, that (none / 0) (#67)
by KeysDan on Mon Jan 01, 2024 at 11:44:32 AM EST

was my take, too. The early black and white scenes were a wistful affection for past and simpler times. However, that section could have been edited somewhat. I think the film blossoms right afterwards.


Sound of Freedom (none / 0) (#68)
by KeysDan on Mon Jan 01, 2024 at 01:36:00 PM EST

has been criticized as sensationalizing trafficking (USA Today) and as a QAnon fever dream (The Nation). Another controversial film, albeit on a different basis, is Saltburn.

A revenge opera of British privilege, class and obsession. A decadent thriller and social satire encased in dark comedy. A lot of good unclean fun but to be avoided by the prudish, priggish and faint-hearted.

Amazing visuals of the English manor house and overall cinematography, all held together by the fine performances of the actors, particularly the Irish actor Barry Keoghan, whose character is the poor Oxford student driven to madness by a rich classmate and his strange Mum. The naked truth is revealed in the closing scene--part of the film's shock undergirding.


Bad reviews (none / 0) (#69)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 10:48:37 AM EST

Often make me more curious than good ones. Saltburn -

This movie is for shock value. It is depraved, distasteful, disturbing. I don't know who is going to sit through this until the end. I am having little tolerance for movies that are weird just for weird sake.

I'm in.


I look forward (none / 0) (#71)
by KeysDan on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 11:25:13 AM EST

to your review. Some reviewers likened Saltburn to The Talented Mr. Ripley (which was a very good movie), but I didn't see it that way---maybe, Ripley on steroids.


Right now it requires a Prime membership (none / 0) (#72)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 12:07:47 PM EST

You can't just rent it. I'll wait a bit.


On (none / 0) (#73)
by KeysDan on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 12:47:39 PM EST

Britbox, free with subscription.


: It's free on Prime (none / 0) (#74)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 01:43:41 PM EST

With a subscription. Later.

I'm watching Rebel Moon as we speak (none / 0) (#9)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 10:32:14 AM EST

it's odd. I understand why reviews might be off.

So far I like it.


My husband was watching Rebel Moon, so I caught (5.00 / 2) (#60)
by vml68 on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 09:30:27 PM EST

bits and pieces of it. Not really my cup of tea.
Haven't watched Oppenheimer or Maestro, yet.

Everybody at home is down with what we thought was a bad case of the flu but turned out to be Covid. So, I predict a lot of time spent in front of the TV for the next few days.


: New Year's (5.00 / 3) (#62)
by KeysDan on Sun Dec 31, 2023 at 10:06:34 AM EST

greetings and hopes for your family's quick recovery.

: There's a lot of good stuff on HULU (none / 0) (#61)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Dec 31, 2023 at 07:41:09 AM EST

Rebel Moon is kind of dumb but gorgeous.
In the opening scenes you can almost smell the farmers.

OK Rebel Moon (none / 0) (#13)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 05:24:57 PM EST

Rebel Moon is a very Zack Snyder movie.

I find people either like him or not. I like him. I love the movies other people hate like one about the owls with the long title.
I'll find a link.
I even love Sucker Punch which is one of his most panned movies.
So if you didn't like 300 or Watchmen you probably wont like this.


Long name (none / 0) (#14)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 05:35:17 PM EST

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Beautiful movie


: Nolan likes Zack too (none / 0) (#16)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 10:06:20 AM EST

Christopher Nolan Has High Praise for Zack Snyder
The Dark Knight and Oppenheimer director is a big fan of the Man of Steel and Rebel Moon director.

I happened to catch Napoleon (none / 0) (#11)
by desertswine on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 05:03:48 PM EST

a couple of weeks ago in IMAX. IMAX was suitable for that movie but only because there was cannons in it. Other than the odd battle or two, it wasn't much of a movie.


I thought IMAX was a fad (none / 0) (#12)
by CaptHowdy on Wed Dec 27, 2023 at 05:17:14 PM EST

Like CINERAMA. I still kind of think so. Its great for effects and spectacle. I'm not a huge fan.


: I vaguely remember Cinerama... (none / 0) (#28)
by desertswine on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 11:00:38 PM EST

I was shown on a long curved screen, was it not, and it was like a triptych. It had 3 sections, I guess there were 3 projectors, but I don't really know. One part of the three was invariably out of focus, or shaky from time to time.

Oppenheimer was excellent. (none / 0) (#37)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 02:05:45 PM EST

Cillian Murphy as the title character is very good, and he's light years from his brutal crime boss persona in Peaky Blinders. But the actor whose performance actually impressed me the most was Robert Downey Jr. I didn't quite recognize him at first. It will be a real travesty if he doesn't get an Oscar nomination.

But personally, my favorite film this year is Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which I think is arguably his masterpiece. It clocks in at well over three hours, but it sure didn't feel like it. It grabs you from its opening moments (if you've seen it, you know what I mean because I'm not going to give anything away to those who haven't) and then moves at a fairly deliberate pace throughout.

The acting by the leads is Oscar nominee-worthy. Leonardo DiCaprio does brilliant work with a very unflattering role as the weak-minded but greedy Ernest Burkhart, rendering his character simultaneously unsympathetic and pitiful. Robert De Niro's villainous turn as the two-faced and menacing oil baron William Hale is probably the finest performance of his elder years. Lily Gladstone (of Nez Perce / Blackfoot heritage) as Ernest's long-suffering wife Mollie is simply mesmerizing. And Jesse Plemons as FBI agent Tom White underplays his character beautifully, which a lesser actor would have caricatured.

And if you haven't seen Bradley Cooper's Maestro yet, please do. I'm becoming very impressed with his work as a film director. Like Clint Eastwood, he has a real eye for the camera shot. The film itself, while brilliantly conceived and presented, left me a with a cold feeling toward its subject Leonard Bernstein, and I can't help but wonder if that was also Cooper's intent. I'd be interested to hear what you think.

Aloha.


I thought that DeNiro in Flowers.. (none / 0) (#39)
by desertswine on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 03:31:44 PM EST

was brilliant. That's all.


: I just saw this odd movie, (none / 0) (#40)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 03:55:33 PM EST

or at least the part I'm describing, with DeNiro prancing around in front of a mirror in frilly petticoats with a feather fan.
I can't recommend the movie, which I never heard of, but I recommend that scene.
Stardust

I will report (none / 0) (#42)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 04:03:54 PM EST

I won't see it untill I can rent it on apple.

Its still 20.00. I'll wait.


Oops (none / 0) (#44)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 04:16:16 PM EST

You were talking about Maestro. Not Killers OTFM

I'm working on it after reading the reviews here. I will report.


: Having romance in the genre line (none / 0) (#50)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 05:52:15 PM EST

would have kept it off all my search lists.
🙂
I see it's on Netflix.

Both Downey and Matt Damon (none / 0) (#47)
by Peter G on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 05:00:33 PM EST

deserve Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer. Damon was also terrific. IMHO.


Check out (none / 0) (#54)
by Chuck0 on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:30:52 PM EST

A Murder at the End of the World.


Check out (none / 0) (#55)
by Chuck0 on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:31:06 PM EST

I did it (none / 0) (#56)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:33:26 PM EST

I liked it very much but I admit I thought the end was too cute.


But also on HULU (none / 0) (#58)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:36:09 PM EST

I'm loving this season of FARGO


: Agreed. (5.00 / 1) (#59)
by Chuck0 on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:48:41 PM EST

Also, I like just about anything with Juno Temple.

Another one (none / 0) (#26)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 07:31:28 PM EST

Maine strips Trump from the ballot, inflaming legal war over his candidacy
Activists and voters have filed numerous lawsuits around the country claiming the former president is barred from office under the "insurrection clause."

While a well-considered, thorough opinion (none / 0) (#27)
by Peter G on Thu Dec 28, 2023 at 08:13:19 PM EST

of the state atty general, it simply provides the foundation for a court challenge by the Maine Republican Party and/or the Tr*mp Campaign. Meanwhile, the challengers in Colorado have responded to the Republican petition by requesting a super-expedited schedule, which would allow for a final decision, if the petition for US Supreme Court review of the Colorado Supreme Court decision is granted, to be rendered by the end of January.


: It seems like (none / 0) (#29)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 06:33:44 AM EST

this makes the supreme court's job more complicated.
Not just a one off decision about one weird state.

And Michigan (none / 0) (#30)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 08:36:02 AM EST

said he is eligible. It seems the supreme court is going to have to decide.


I think you misunderstood the Michigan (none / 0) (#33)
by Peter G on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 11:54:31 AM EST

decision. The lower court said that Michigan election law does not contemplate removing from either party's primary ballot the names of individuals who may not be eligible to serve if they were to win the general. The state supreme court said that that ruling did not warrant their further review. From what I read, it was not based on the merits of the federal constitutional question, so there is no conflict with the decision of any other state.


: Yes, (none / 0) (#34)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 12:39:36 PM EST

I wasn't clear. I understand MI was ruling strictly on MI.
It seems to me that all these cases may very well start spelling the end of the electoral college since it is dawning on many that each state has different election laws. Even some conservatives are now coming out against the EC but not for those reasons. Their reasoning is that it promotes autocracy.

So Nikki Haley (none / 0) (#31)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 08:37:35 AM EST

can't explain the Civil War. As someone who grew up in SC I am not surprised at the lost cause answer. It's also why while so many people thought she was "formidable" i never did. I knew that SC doesn't translate to the rest of the country.

Whatever momentum Ms. Haley did have ... (5.00 / 1) (#38)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 02:14:50 PM EST

... is now completely stalled. Her limbo dance around the painfully obvious truth does, however, underscores the ascendancy of the GOP's white nationalist wing in Republican politics. And honestly, her rival for the runner-up spot, Gov. Ron DeSantis, stepped in it equally by criticizing her answer, which served only to remind everyone that he's the hypocrite who banned the teaching of black history in Florida schools because it made white people uncomfortable.


That thing (none / 0) (#41)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 03:59:58 PM EST

That the Civil War was NOT about slavery, is a very big deal on redneck right. I've heard it all my life. The discussion goes like this

The civil war was about States Rights!

Pfft, yeah, about their right to own slaves.

This has been around forever but they were smart enough to keep it quiet

Untill Trump.


Yeah, but (none / 0) (#45)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 04:32:02 PM EST

they weren't quiet about it but that Trump's bullhorn made it too obvious to ignore. George W. went down to SC and bowed down before the confederate flag back in 2000. Just IMO but most of the press lives in New England or north of the Mason Dixon line and don't understand all this. A couple of years ago I spent quite a while explaining this to my GOP cousins in MN. They sat there with their mouths gaping open. While you and I know the game the rest of them are pretty clueless. I also explained to them about the abortion issue and how I knew someone who had a fetus with no head and the doctors didn't find it until 20 weeks and decided to have an abortion. All of a sudden the prolifers weren't talking about baby killing because they understood there was no point in carrying that pregnancy and she might as well get on with her life. Now that kind of thing with Dobbs is going nationwide too.

I also think Moms for Hitler trying to reinstate the lost cause as "history education" in Florida had a large impact here too. Maybe they should have named their education program a threesome at the book burning.


: I have also found (none / 0) (#48)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Dec 29, 2023 at 05:47:05 PM EST

some don't understand about the Civil War thing. They really didn't understand why she said what she said.
Newsflash, it's what republican primary voters believe. Among other things.

Maryland, My Maryland. (none / 0) (#53)
by Chuck0 on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:23:36 PM EST

The Terps are schooling the Auburn Tigers in TransPerfect Music City Bowl. 31-7 in the 3rd quarter. Seems Auburn produces dumb Senators and questionable football teams.

This is worth a read (none / 0) (#57)
by CaptHowdy on Sat Dec 30, 2023 at 03:34:52 PM EST

Don't be an enabler

The Year That A.I. Came for Culture
The events of 2023 showed that A.I. doesn't need to be that good in order to do damage.

I spending the eve (none / 0) (#65)
by CaptHowdy on Sun Dec 31, 2023 at 08:48:16 PM EST

watching a limited series on Netflix called The Fall of the House of Usher.

Its not what I expected but I like it a lot. Loosely based on Poe stories but about the Usher pharma family/comoany.

It has Mary McDonnell who I've liked ever since she was Donnie Darkos mother

trailer

If you have 39 minutes (none / 0) (#70)
by CaptHowdy on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 11:01:25 AM EST

This is a good way to spend them

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Wes Anderson doesn't always hold my attention for feature length.

: Wes really has a thing (5.00 / 1) (#75)
by jondee on Tue Jan 02, 2024 at 03:25:37 PM EST

about those symmetrical centering shots.