Sunday, October 29, 2017

Today's Political Divisions as Bad as Vietnam Era

I don't think is "just Trump," but this is interesting nevertheless.

At WaPo, "‘It’s just messed up’: Most think political divisions as bad as Vietnam era, new poll shows: The Post-U. Md. survey reveals a starkly pessimistic view of the U.S. political system under President Trump":


Seven in 10 Americans say the nation’s political divisions are at least as big as during the Vietnam War, according to a new poll, which also finds nearly 6 in 10 saying Donald Trump’s presidency is making the U.S. political system more dysfunctional.

The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll — conducted nine months into Trump’s tumultuous presidency — reveals a starkly pessimistic view of U.S. politics, widespread distrust of the nation’s political leaders and their ability to compromise, and an erosion of pride in the way democracy works in America.

Trump’s arrival in the White House in January ushered in a period of big political fights — over issues including health care, taxes and immigration — and a sharp escalation in personal attacks on political opponents, over social media and elsewhere.

Seven in 10 Americans say the nation’s politics have reached a dangerous low point, and a majority of those believe the situation is a “new normal” rather than temporary, according to the poll.

The poll finds that 7 in 10 Americans view the Trump administration as dysfunctional. But dissatisfaction extends well beyond the executive branch: Even more Americans, 8 in 10, say Congress is dysfunctional, and there is limited trust in other institutions, including the media.

“It’s just messed up now,” said Patty Kasbeck, 37, a veterinary technician in Bartlesville, Okla., and a Democrat. “It’s not even a political system. It’s a reality show.”

In the poll, 14 percent of Americans say they view ethics and honesty of politicians as excellent or good, down from 25 percent in 1997 and 39 percent in 1987. And 12 percent say members of Congress base their policies on a set of core values, while 87 percent say they mainly “do whatever is need to win reelection.”

By and large, Americans are feeling frustrated not only with the country’s politics but their ability to talk about politics in a civil way.

“It seems the country is being divided on so many topics and on so many fronts at one time,” said Gene Gardner, a retired communications specialist in Blacksburg, Va., who said American democracy has become “a rock-throwing contest.”

“When people have an opinion, they don’t just say it to their spouse across the dinner table anymore,” said Gardner, 68, who is not registered with either political party. “They put it on Facebook. Everything gets amplified and more angry.”

Recent surveys have shown consumer confidence is up this year and stands at the highest levels in the past decade, so it does not appear that economic concerns are driving discontent with the nation’s political system.

Rather, Trump’s presidency appears to be a more critical factor in informing the way people feel about the state of American democracy.

While the poll finds similar levels of distrust in the federal government as before Trump took office, it also finds that pride in U.S. democracy is eroding. The share of Americans who are not proud of the way the country’s democracy is working has doubled since three years ago — from 18 percent to 36 percent in the new survey conducted among a nationwide sample of more than 1,600 adults by The Post and U-Md.’s Center for American Politics and Citizenship.

And nearly half of those who say they “strongly disapprove” of Trump’s job performance say they are not proud of American democracy today. That’s about twice as high among as those who “somewhat disapprove” of the president’s performance.

Doubts about democracy are not limited, however, to strong Trump critics. The poll finds that 25 percent of his supporters are not proud of the way democracy is working. That’s a higher figure than for the general public since at least the 1990s, polling shows.

“I think that since Trump’s election, there’s a spotlight on Washington and how it really works: that politicians are out for themselves and beholden to special interests,” said Nola Sayne, a paralegal in Logansville, Ga., who supported Trump and says she tends to vote Republican.

Sayne, 54, partly blames the dysfunction on how the Washington establishment has reacted to Trump. “People just flip out at everything he says,” Sayne said.

Elizabeth Johnston, a worker benefits specialist in Paradise, Calif., said she’s “embarrassed for the country” and primarily blames Democrats for the nation’s current political dysfunction.

“They’re acting like the mean kids in junior high,” Johnston said. “They’re all helping to make sure that the president doesn’t succeed.”

Johnston, 58, a registered independent, said there are some things she doesn’t like about Trump, like his “childish tweets.” But she said the country needs to give him a chance. “I love it that he hears us,” she said. “I love it that he wants to cut taxes.”

Strong majorities in both parties say the political divisions today are at least as strong as during the Vietnam War, a period of protest and unrest that is widely viewed as a dark chapter in American political history.

Seven in 10 Americans overall hold that view, but it is particularly strong among those who experienced the Vietnam War era firsthand. Among those who were adults in the 1970s, more than three-quarters say political divisions today are at least as big.

“I’m old enough that I remember the Vietnam War,” said Ed Evans, 67, a lawyer in Sioux Falls, S.D., and a Democrat who was a college student in Missouri at the time. “With Vietnam, at least it was focused on one issue. Here, it’s all over the place. In some ways, this is deeply more troubling.”

Ellen Collins, a retired data architect in Dayton, Ohio, said she remembers hearing her brother, who was in the Army returning from Vietnam, say that he was spit upon in the airport during a layover in San Francisco in March 1968. Still, she is among those who say political divisions in the country are worse today.

“This country is a mess,” said Collins, 69. “There’s no civility. Friends are now enemies. These issues have made people angry.”

She blames Trump in large part, saying he has used divisions “to his benefit, to play on people’s fears.”

Collins cited Trump’s recent sparring with Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) over the president’s condolence call to the widow of a soldier killed in Niger.

“He has an inability to say, ‘My bad,’ and he just keeps going and going,” Collins said. “He’s childish, and he’s a bully.”

Majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say America’s politics have reached a dangerous low point, though more Democrats (81 percent) than Republicans (56 percent) hold that view.
More.


Friday, October 27, 2017

Shop Today

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BONUS: Carlo D'Este, Patton: A Genius for War.


Xi Jinping Enshrined in Communist Party Constitution

He's up there with Mao now.

At NYT, "China Enshrines ‘Xi Jinping Thought,’ Elevating Leader to Mao-Like Status":

BEIJING — China’s Communist Party on Tuesday elevated President Xi Jinping to the same exalted status as the nation’s founding father, Mao Zedong, by writing his name and ideas into the party constitution.

The historic decision, at the end of a weeklong party congress, sent a clear signal to officials throughout China that questioning Mr. Xi and his policies would be ideological heresy.

The decision solidified Mr. Xi’s position as China’s most powerful leader in decades after only five years of leading the country, making it harder for rivals to challenge him and his policies.

While there may be no “Little Red Book” of quotations for mass consumption like in the bygone Mao era, Mr. Xi’s thinking will now infuse every aspect of party ideology in schools, the media and government agencies.

In the near future, Chinese people are likely to refer to Mr. Xi’s doctrines as simply “Xi Jinping Thought,” a flattering echo of “Mao Zedong Thought.”

“This is a way of trying to project his historic stature,” said Wu Qiang, a political analyst in Beijing who formerly taught at Tsinghua University. “The congress report and the party constitution revisions both show that Xi wants to be a kind of peer with the past leaders. That doesn’t mean he sees himself as rivaling Mao in importance, but I think it’s intended to give him an ideological status that can’t be challenged, like Mao in that sense.”

Restoring China to greatness is a central message of Mr. Xi’s philosophy. That goal already has guided Mr. Xi’s policies of building up the military, strengthening domestic controls and raising China’s profile in global affairs.

Approved by the party congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, which meets every five years, the change to the constitution adds a clunky new phrase — “Xi Jinping Thought for the New Era of Socialism With Chinese Special Characteristics” — alongside the hallowed names of Mao and Deng Xiaoping.

While the meaning of those 13 words — 16 Chinese characters — may seem opaque, they are freighted with significance for the future both of the party and of China.

The critical phrase is “new era,” which Mr. Xi has used throughout the congress. He has described Chinese history since 1949 as divided into two eras — the three decades after Mao seized power in a revolution that established a unified People’s Republic and ended nearly a century of civil war and foreign invasions, and the three decades after Deng took power in 1978 and refocused China on developing its economy...
More.

Reckoning with Communism

Turns out there's an amazing conference coming up in a couple of week, in D.C., "Victims of Communism Centennial Commemoration." (Hat Tip: National Review, below.)




'Start with the men in power who are bullies...'

Following-up from last night, "Mark Halperin Out at NBC, MSNBC, and HBO After Multiple Claims of Sexual Assault."

At Axios, "Post-Halperin, female media exec calls out 'the screamers'":
A well-known female veteran of the media business emailed me as new revelations were posted about Mark Halperin:
"If you are anxiously looking around your media organization wondering who the harassers are or were, start with the men in power who are bullies: who screamed at subordinates, berated them, seemed to take pleasure in humiliating them — often publicly. We all know them. We have all worked with them. There is clearly a correlation between that behavior and this. ... I would love to send a message to the screamers that their behavior will no longer be tolerated."
There's clearly a lot of screaming in tech, as well as in media and movies.

The excuse many men gave for not interfering with Harvey Weinstein was that "everybody knew" he was a bully and a jerk — but didn't realize he was also a serial assailant. Arianna Huffington, a board member at Uber, distilled the emerging ethos: "No brilliant jerks allowed."

Halperin's had been quite an empire. If you change the game once, it's pretty cool. Changing the game more than once? Very small club. And Halperin did it repeatedly: "The Note" at ABC ... "The Page" at TIME ... The "Game Change" franchise ... Showtime's "The Circus" series.

His comeuppance all came within 24 hours of CNN's story quoting five women as saying that he "sexually harassed women while he was in a powerful position at ABC News" (political director from 1997 to 2007)...
Keep reading.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Mark Halperin Out at NBC, MSNBC, and HBO After Multiple Claims of Sexual Assault

This is freakin' major.

At the Los Angeles Times, "MSNBC political analyst Mark Halperin losing book deal and TV jobs over sexual harassment claims":

The multimedia career of political journalist and author Mark Halperin is on shaky ground after a report that he sexually harassed five women during his tenure at ABC News.

Just hours after the publication of the CNN report late Wednesday, Halperin was pulled from his contributor’s role at MSNBC and NBC News. Penguin Press canceled the publication of his next “Game Change” book about the 2016 presidential campaign, co-authored with John Heilemann. Plans for an HBO miniseries tied to the title were scrapped by the premium cable network, and the next season of the Showtime documentary series “The Circus,” in which Halperin co-stars, appears in doubt.

Five women who worked with Halperin when he was political director of ABC News in the early 2000s told CNN that he propositioned them or touched them inappropriately while on the job. Three women said Halperin pressed up against them while having an erection. None of the women complained to ABC’s human resources department about his behavior. The accusers spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity.

The accusations against Halperin join the growing maelstrom of sexual harassment and assault charges, which have rocked the careers and reputations of former Weinstein Co. co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein, former Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly, screenwriter James Toback, and others. As more women come forward to allege years of bad behavior, the roiling national discussion of workplace harassment shows no signs of abating.

In a statement to CNN, Halperin acknowledged that he mistreated female employees at ABC News and issued an apology.

“During this period, I did pursue relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me,” said Halperin, 52. “I now understand from these accounts that my behavior was inappropriate and caused others pain. For that, I am deeply sorry and I apologize. Under the circumstances, I’m going to take a step back from my day-to-day work while I properly deal with this situation.”

By Thursday morning, Halperin, a paid contributor who regularly appears on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and other NBC News programs, was on leave indefinitely.

“We find the story and the allegations very troubling. Mark Halperin is leaving his role as a contributor until the questions around his past conduct are fully understood,” the cable network said in a statement.

The alleged incidents involving Halperin occurred when he was political director at ABC News from 1997 to 2007. An ABC News representative said, “Mark left ABC a decade ago and no complaints were filed during his tenure.”

But some women who worked with Halperin at ABC have commented on social media that there had been talk within the company at the time about his treatment of women.

Clarissa Ward, a senior international correspondent for CNN, tweeted out the Halperin story and said, “This was an open story when I was @ABC for years.”

Former ABC News staffer Emily Miller put a #MeToo hashtag on her tweet of the CNN story and said she too was harassed by Halperin. She then added: “To be clear, I was NOT one of the victims in this story about Mark Halperin. I was ANOTHER junior ABC employee he attacked.”

As of Thursday, there had been no sexual harassment complaints filed against Halperin at NBC, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly. As an on-air contributor, Halperin does not have an office or work space in the network’s headquarters or newsroom.

Halperin has a multiyear contract with NBC, but such deals can typically be terminated in the event an on-air talent embarrasses the company.

Showtime Networks issued a statement that there had been no allegations of “untoward behavior” by Halperin during the production of “The Circus.” However, the premium cable network said it will “evaluate its options” on going forward with a second season of the program...
More.

Shop Halloween Candy

Once again, at Amazon, Deals on Halloween Candy.

And especially, Hershey's Halloween Trunk or Treat Variety Bag, 250 ct, 81.1 oz.

The Sound is Going Down

To say I'm sad would be an understatement. This is one of the greatest radio station's since KMET in the 1970s.

Alas, nothing last forever.

At the L.A.-ist, "100.3 The Sound to Be Replaced With Christian Music Station."

And at ABC News 7 Los Angeles:


Harvey Weinstein and the Myth of 'Toxic Masculinity'

It's Helen Smith, at Pajamas, via Instapundit, "THE INSTA-WIFE: Harvey Weinstein and the Myth of “Toxic Masculinity”."

Responding to CNN

At Instapundit, "THE NRA RESPONDS TO CNN: This is a lemon."



Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Emily Ratajkowski Glows Against the Sunset (VIDEO)

At Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.



New Deals Today

At Amazon, Today's Deals.

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Brianna Keilar Reflects on War and Sacrifice

I don't watch CNN anymore, and I didn't even know Brianna Keilar was married, much less to a serviceman, but I do miss watching her for the news. I think she's a good lady. In any case, at CNN:


Beating the Heat in San Diego

Well, hitting the beach would be nice.

At the San Diego Union-Tribune:


Majority of Whites Say They Believe Whites Face Discrimination

Well, it's part of the Trump phenomenon, I guess.

Perhaps part of the reason he won.

Interesting, either way. Leftists take heed.

At NPR:


Francis Paul Prucha, The Indians in American Society

At Amazon, Francis Paul Prucha, The Indians in American Society: From the Revolutionary War to the Present.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Record-Breaking Heat Across the Southland (VIDEO)

My weather app said it was 105 degrees when I left work (in Long Beach) a little after 4:00pm today. But, frankly, it was dry heat, and didn't feel too bad. I even went back out to Barnes and Noble after I got home and changed into some shorts. I picked up a copy of Volker Ullrich, Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939.

I'm going to read some of the book right now, in fact. So, until later, here's CBS News 2 Los Angeles:



Deal of the Day

At Amazon, Today's Deals.

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BONUS: Rick Richman, Racing Against History: The 1940 Campaign for a Jewish Army to Fight Hitler.


Out in Paperback: Volker Ullrich, Hitler

This is the moment I've been waiting for, not wanting to spend on the hard-back volume.

At Amazon, available in paperback today, Volker Ullrich, Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939.



Andrew Lipman, The Saltwater Frontier

At Amazon, Andrew Lipman, The Saltwater Frontier: Indians and the Contest for the American Coast.

Kathleen M. Brown, Good Wives, Nasty Wenches, and Anxious Patriarchs

At Amazon, Kathleen M. Brown, Good Wives, Nasty Wenches, and Anxious Patriarchs: Gender, Race, and Power in Colonial Virginia.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Chantel Jeffries in Tight Black Sweater

At Taxi Driver, "Chantel Jeffries No Bra in Tight Black Sweater."

Today's Deals

At Amazon, New Deals. Every Day.

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BONUS: David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest.

Why is the Press Ignoring the Exploding Clinton-Russia-FBI Scandal?

At IBD, "There's One Russia Scandal the Press Doesn't Want You to Know About":

In one of his Thursday evening tweets, President Trump complained once again about the "Fake Media," this time for not covering a fresh scandal involving an Obama-era uranium deal with Russia. Does Trump have a legitimate beef? You be the judge.

By any objective measure, the story that The Hill broke on Tuesday was shocking. According to documents unearthed by the news outlet, in 2009 the FBI had uncovered evidence of a sweeping, illegal Russian scheme to boost Vladimir Putin's atomic energy business, which included bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering.

The FBI had also obtained an eyewitness account that Russian nuclear officials "had routed millions of dollars to the U.S. designed to benefit (the Clinton Foundation)."

That's eye-opening in and of itself. But the findings are even more alarming when you understand the context.  While the FBI was learning about these illegal Russian activities, Russia's state-owned nuclear company Rosatom was trying to acquire mining rights to 20% of the uranium in the United States through its purchase of Canadian-based Uranium One.

To do so, however, they needed to get approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. Sitting on that committee were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder. In 2010, the committee unanimously approved the sale of Uranium One to the Russian nuclear company.

In other words, while top Obama administration officials were deciding whether to hand over control of one-fifth of the nation's uranium supplies to Russia, the FBI had piles of evidence that officials at Rosatom were flagrantly violating U.S. laws and possibly compromising national security. The FBI also had evidence that officials had directed millions of dollars to Hillary Clinton's family charity, creating a clear conflict of interest.

But as the Hill notes, none of this information was made public before the Obama administration approved the sale.

Even more intriguing, key people at the FBI at the time of the Uranium One deal are now spearheading the special counsel probe into allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to swing the November election.

Needless to say, this raises a lot of important questions. Did the FBI keep the Committee on Foreign Investment in the dark about its findings? If so, why? Did Clinton, or Holder, or anyone else involved in the sale's approval know about this investigation? Why did the FBI wait until after Hillary had stepped down from State before taking action on the case? What role did those donations to Hillary's charity — as well as lucrative speaking fees to Bill — play in all this?
This is the real Russia meddling in American politics, and the Democrats are treasonous accomplices.

More.

How Harvey Weinstein Built Pipeline of Access to the World's Beautiful Women

A guide to the super-predator's methods, at LAT, "How Harvey Weinstein used his fashion business as a pipeline to models":
It was the kind of evening Zoë Brock was accustomed to, an intimate dinner party at an Art Deco hotel on a waterfront avenue in Cannes. The Australian model was ushered to an empty seat at a long table on a lush patio overlooking a swimming pool.

She didn’t recognize the man seated next to her, but would quickly find out he was Harvey Weinstein, a brusque American producer in town for the film festival.

That first encounter of champagne and small talk would end in a much less elegant fashion hours later in a hotel room, where Weinstein stood before Brock naked and solicited a massage. She said she locked herself in a bathroom to escape him.

Still shaken by that night in 1998, Brock believes the events were set in motion by men connected to Weinstein.

"Someone put me there next to him — that was on purpose. I am pretty sure that there are a lot of people that would like to sit next to Harvey Weinstein,” said Brock, 43, who was represented by a Milanese modeling agency at the time. “So why was it me?"

Weinstein, 65, is best known for his pioneering career in the independent film industry, but over the last two decades he has also carved out a significant business in fashion — executive producing the television show "Project Runway," investing in the clothing brand Halston, and backing the high-end womenswear company Marchesa, which was co-founded by his wife, former model Georgina Chapman. The foray generated a profitable TV franchise, lucrative partnerships and cachet among the global jet set.

But that success was only one of the benefits for Weinstein. In interviews with the Los Angeles Times, nearly a dozen people with ties to the industry — including models, casting directors, publicists and executives connected to "Project Runway" — said that he used fashion as a pipeline to women. They said that models, oftentimes young and working overseas far from home, were particularly vulnerable.

In addition to Brock, more than 10 other former or current fashion models — including Cara Delevingne and Angie Everhart — have accused Weinstein of a wide range of sexual misconduct.

In a previously unreported incident, former Brazilian model Juliana De Paula told The Times that Weinstein groped her and forced her to kiss other models that he had taken to his loft in New York a decade ago. When she tried to leave, she said, he chased her through the apartment, naked. She fended him off with a broken glass.

“He looked at me and he started to laugh,” she recalled. “I was shocked. I was completely in disbelief.”

Another model, Samantha Panagrosso, said Weinstein made unwanted sexual advances toward her during the Cannes Film Festival in 2003. When Weinstein began touching her legs under the water at a hotel pool and she rebuffed him, he pointed at another model, she recalled in an interview with The Times. “Look at her, I’m going to have her come to my room for a screen test,” she said Weinstein told her.

When Panagrosso told friends about his continuing advances, she said, they laughed it off: “Sam, don’t be so naïve, you know Harvey can make you a star.”

Since the New York Times and the New Yorker first wrote about Weinstein’s alleged assaults earlier this month, more than 50 women have come forward to describe their experiences, and he has been fired by Weinstein Co., the indie studio he co-founded in 2005 that has released films including “The King’s Speech.”

Six women have accused Weinstein of rape or forcible sex acts, and he is under investigation for sexual assault in Los Angeles, New York and London...
Well, Weinstein's apparently "cured" after one week of "sex-addiction" therapy, so this is all water under the bridge now, right? [Snark.]

More, in any case.

Alexis Ren Behind the Scenes (VIDEO)

Well, I'd like to get behind the scenes with this one, IYKWIMAITYD.



Jennifer Delacruz's Sunny and Hot Monday Forecast

It's supposed to be in the high 90s today in Irvine. Amazing weather we're having, although I'm not complaining, heh.

Here's the beautiful Ms. Jennifer, for ABC News 3 San Diego:



Sunday, October 22, 2017

New Deals Today

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Lit Crawl L.A. – Where Literature Hits the Streets!

This is really cool. I wish Irvine had a literature crawl.

At LAT, "What to see at Lit Crawl in North Hollywood on Oct. 25."

You can imagine it's mostly wannabe Bohemian lefties, but if you like to read, and you like to read good literature, sometimes you have to go with the flow. Sometimes even left-wing books are fulfilling, which I've been finding out this past few months with my excursions into literary fiction.

My sister lives in Studio City, just a few miles from the epicenter of this event in NoHo. Not sure if I'll go, but I like that this kind of thing is thriving.


Report from Virginia's Governor's Race

From the indubitable Salena Zito, at the New York Post, "The Democrats should be terrified by this governor's race":

WINCHESTER, VA. — The melodic sounds of a street musician’s trumpet echo through every corner of this old Virginia town as locals shop or make their way to lunch. Daren Johnson has been blowing his horn at the pedestrian mall in the shadow of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum for over an hour. He performs for two reasons: “To make some extra cash and to share a little bit of lightness. We are exhausted as a country,” he said, “a direct result of last year’s election.”

Johnson and his wife were tireless volunteers for Hillary Clinton last year. They knocked on doors, they made phone calls, they were invested. When she lost, the couple was devastated. Now, Johnson doesn’t even know who is running for governor.

“I’ve voted every year for the past 46 years, always informed, always enthusiastic, always involved in the process. Now, it’s really hard to care,” Johnson said.

The upcoming gubernatorial election in Virginia is one of only two happening in the country this year, along with New Jersey. The race pits Ralph Northam, the current lieutenant governor and a Democrat, against Ed Gillespie, a former George W. Bush administration official and Republican National Committee chairman.

Northam should have a comfortable lead right now. Terry McAuliffe, the outgoing governor he currently serves under, is popular and generally seen as successful. Plus, Virginians have historically elected governors from the party opposite to a president who’s won the year before. In 2001, Democrat Mark Warner won one year after George W. Bush was elected; in 2009, Republican Bob McDonnell won one year after Barack Obama took the state.

And, of course, there is the Trump factor — Clinton beat the president comfortably here, although almost all of her vote came from the heavily populated, heavily liberal Northern Virginia suburbs with the rest of the state (mostly rural, mostly forgotten) going for Donald Trump with the exception of the state capital and some college towns.

But Northam’s numbers are not up — in fact, the last three public polls show next month’s race within the margin of error. That includes a Monmouth University poll released Tuesday, which gives Gillespie the edge over Northam among likely voters by 48 to 47 percent.

Both parties have pulled out all the stops for this race. Ex-president Obama was here for a rally; George W. Bush for a fundraiser. Joe Biden’s stumped here, so has Vice President Mike Pence. So far, Trump has only tweeted about the race: “Ralph Northam, who is running for Governor of Virginia, is fighting for the violent MS-13 killer gangs & sanctuary cities. Vote Ed Gillespie!”

Gillespie has avoided broadcasting that endorsement on the campaign trail. There are no mentions of it on his website. After Trump claimed there were “some very fine people on both sides” of a neo-Nazi protest in nearby Charlottesville that left one woman dead, Gillespie’s spokesman Dave Abrams said the candidate “did not see any fine people on the side of the white nationalists and neo-Nazis.” But Gillespie has not directly criticized Trump either.

Meanwhile Stephanie Vaughan, the Democratic county chairperson in Winchester, says the party is working hard to clinch victory by appealing to a wider crowd. “We very much try to have a big-tent approach here. We welcome moderate, progressive and conservative Democrats into our party, and we encourage everyone to listen to our message,” she said. “Here our issues are pretty straightforward — transportation, education and health care.”

Behind the counter of her coffee shop, Lanita Byrne said she did not vote for Trump and loved Clinton but is completely undecided on which candidate she wants for governor. “Honestly it comes down to who is best on taxes. I think there should be less burdens and more opportunities for small-business owners,” she said.

Clark Hansbarger, meanwhile, said he saw the Trump win coming from a mile away. “I kept telling all of my liberal friends, and they would just laugh at me. They thought no way,” he said. Hansbarger then chuckles and admits he, too, is a liberal. “But, look, I travel a lot. When Trump spoke about carnage in his inaugural address, I’ve seen exactly what he meant all over the country,” he said.

Johnson begins to play his trumpet again, then stops. “I guess I’ll vote,” he admits. “But honestly I am sick of both parties . . . and I am not voting straight ticket, that is for sure.”

Certainly the Democrats are the ones with the most to lose...
More.

Fox Renewed Bill O'Reilly After Cable Star Paid Out Sexual Harassment Claims in $32 Million Settlement

That's an enormous amount of money. Man, $32 million for settlement. How much was Fox paying the guy, sheesh.

At NYT:

California College Republicans Elect Ariana Rowlands as New Leader

She's a Breitbart conservative at UCI, and a self-identified rabble-rouser, heh.

At the O.C. Register:


Jennifer Egan, A Visit from the Goon Squad

*BUMPED.*

I picked up a copy. I'm excited to read it.

Also at Amazon, Jennifer Egan, A Visit from the Goon Squad.
Bennie is an aging former punk rocker and record executive. Sasha is the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Here Jennifer Egan brilliantly reveals their pasts, along with the inner lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs. With music pulsing on every page, A Visit from the Goon Squad is a startling, exhilarating novel of self-destruction and redemption.




ICYMI: Philip Roth, American Pastoral

At Amazon, Philip Roth, American Pastoral (American Trilogy).




Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin Body Paint for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (VIDEO)

Hmm, very athletic!



David M. Potter, The Impending Crisis

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, David M. Potter, The Impending Crisis: America Before the Civil War, 1848-1861.



Ian Davidson, The French Revolution

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Ian Davidson, The French Revolution: From Enlightenment to Tyranny.


Saturday, October 21, 2017

Philip Roth, The Plot Against America

I'm almost done with Celeste Ng.

And I picked up a copy of Philip Roth's book today, The Plot Against America.

I've got a couple of other books going as well, but I look forward to reading this one, a kind of alternative history.



Jennifer Delacruz's Sunday Forecast

Here's the lovely Ms. Jennifer, at ABC News 10 San Diego:


Friday, October 20, 2017

Deal of the Day

At Amazon, Today's Deals.

Also, Klipsch AW-400 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker - White (Pair).

Plus, EcoNour - Car Windshield Sun Shade - Blocks UV Rays Sun Visor Protector, Sunshade To Keep Your Vehicle Cool And Damage Free, Easy To Use, Fits Windshields of Various Sizes (Standard 59 x 31 inches).

And, AmazonBasics AA Performance Alkaline Batteries (48 Count) - Packaging May Vary.

More, Foxelli Trekking Poles – Collapsible, Lightweight, Shock-Absorbent, Carbon Fiber Hiking, Walking & Running Sticks with Natural Cork Grips, Quick Locks, 4 Season / All Terrain Accessories and Carry Bag.

Still more, Shop Dodgers Gear.

And, Mountain House Just In Case...Breakfast Bucket.

BONUS: Paul Kengor, The Communist: Frank Marshall Davis: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mentor.

Jennifer Garner in New York City

Man, Ben Affeck screwed up by losing this woman.

He's an idiot anyway, but he sure scored by marrying Ms. Jennifer. They're done now as a couple, though, so I guess karma's a bitch sometimes.

She's exquisite.

At London's Daily Mail:


Toni Garrn Flaunts in Skimpy Bikini

At London's Daily Mail, "Toni Garrn flaunts major cleavage as she strips down to VERY scanty bikini... weeks after being linked to ex Leonardo DiCaprio."

And at Drunken Stepfather, "TONI GARRN TOPLESS OF THE DAY."

BONUS: At Esquire, "12 Nude Models Posed for the Covers of a French Magazine (NSFW)."

Demi Lovato on Instagram

At London's Daily Mail, "Demi Lovato shares topless snap on Instagram."

Women Oiled-Up for the Future of CBD

This is the craziest post ever, but I like the oiled-up women, heh.

Here, "GIRLS OILED UP BECAUSE THE FUTURE IS CDB OF THE DAY."

After Criticism, FBI to Investigate Death of U.S. Soldiers in Niger (VIDEO)

At the Wall Street Journal, via Memeorandum, "Death of U.S. Soldiers in Niger Sparks FBI Probe, Criticism."

And at Politico, "Mattis says Niger ambush was ‘considered unlikely,’ pledges probe: An ambush that killed four U.S. troops in Niger is under investigation, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday":

In the face of growing scrutiny, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday said the type of attack that killed four U.S. troops in Niger earlier this month was "considered unlikely" and pledged to release the findings of a Pentagon investigation "as rapidly" as possible.

"I would just tell you that in this specific case contact was considered unlikely," Mattis said of the ambush against members of the Army's 3rd Special Forces Group, which is advising local anti-terror units in the region.

"But there's a reason we have U.S. Army soldiers there and not the Peace Corps, because we carry guns and so it's a reality," he added. "It’s part of the danger that our troops face in these counterterror campaigns."

Mattis' remarks come as the White House and Pentagon are taking heat from Senate Armed Services Chairman Sen. John McCain, who threatened early Thursday to issue subpoenas to get more information on the Oct. 4 incident, which has been blamed on militants allied with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

McCain has slammed the Trump administration in recent days for not being forthcoming about the ambush, and asked again Thursday if the administration is sharing enough, he responded, "Of course not."

"It may require a subpoena, but I did have a good conversation with General McMaster, and they said that they would be briefing us," McCain told reporters on Capitol Hill, referring to White House national security adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster. "We have a long friendship, and we'll hopefully get all the details."

McMaster, speaking at an event sponsored by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said he was hurt by McCain’s criticism and defended the National Security Council’s consultation with Congress.

"It hurt my feelings. You know, I love and respect Sen. McCain," McMaster said. "And if Sen. McCain says we need to do a better job communicating with him from our departments, from the NSC, we’re going to do it."

President Donald Trump has also come under fire in recent days for how he handled communications with the families of the fallen, some of which have claimed he was insensitive in phone calls.

Trump waited nearly two weeks before making mention of the Niger incident, even though his staff had drafted a statement of condolence for him on Oct. 5...
More.


Stuart Varney Rips Frederica Wilson for Listening-In on President Trump's Phone Call with Fallen Soldier's Mother (VIDEO)

Following-up, "Chief of Staff John Kelly Statement on Son's Death and Rep. Frederica Wilson (VIDEO)."

The YouTube video is here, "Frederica Wilson is part of the left's ‘hate Trump’ brigade: Varney."

And on Twitter:


Chief of Staff John Kelly Statement on Son's Death and Rep. Frederica Wilson (VIDEO)

At the Hill, "JUST IN: Kelly blasts Dem lawmaker for criticizing Trump's call to solider's family."

And watch the whole press conference:



Thursday, October 19, 2017

Shop Halloween Candy

For the good stuff, at Amazon, Deals on Halloween Candy.

And especially, Hershey's Halloween Trunk or Treat Variety Bag, 250 ct, 81.1 oz.

Simon Schama, Citizens

This book came out when I was an undergraduate at Fresno State.

At Amazon, Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution.



Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Shop Today

Thanks for your support.

I'm heading out to work here in a few minutes, but if you're shopping today, I much appreciate it when you use my Amazon links.

Thanks again!

See, Today's Deals: New deals. Every day. Shop our Deal of the Day, Lightning Deals and more daily deals and limited-time sales.

And especially, Save on Merrell Shoes.

Plus, Buck Knives 0192BRS VANGUARD Fixed Blade Knife with Genuine Leather Sheath.

More, Real Good Coffee Co 2LB, Whole Bean Coffee, Breakfast Blend Light Roast, 2 Pound Bag.

BONUS: by Thomas Edsall, The Age of Austerity: How Scarcity Will Remake American Politics.

Edward E. Baptist, The Half Has Never Been Told

*BUMPED.*

At Amazon, Edward E. Baptist, The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism.

U.S. Bank Building Lit Up in Downtown Los Angeles

For the Dodgers, who are one win away from going to the World Series for the first time in 29 years. That's going to be sweet. Game four in Chicago is tonight!

President Trump Slams John McCain

Well, yeah.

At Politico:


Rise of the 'Bromance' Threatens Heterosexual Relationships

Boy, society's all messed up. Everybody's gay, for one thing.

At the Telegraph U.K., "Rise of the ‘bromance’ threatens heterosexual relationships, warn social scientists."


Epidemic of Sexual Harassment at California State Capitol

More from the Democrat Party's rape culture, at LAT, "'pervasive' harassment in California's Capitol".


Molly Ringwald Speaks Out

At the New Yorker, which must be seeing a boom in traffic of late:


Megan Parry's Wednesday Weather

Here's Megan Parry, at ABC News 10 San Diego.

It's been continuing hot this week.



Tuesday, October 17, 2017

'Dancing Days'

Yesterday was "Role the Dice" day at the Sound L.A., and the station played a number of songs from various artists depending one what came up on the roll. I'm just seeing this on Twitter as this post gets scheduled for Tuesday morning, but I didn't know what was up yesterday morning. I thought they were going wild on Led Zeppelin songs, for one thing, heh.

Kashmir
Led Zeppelin
8:52 AM

Carouselambra
Led Zeppelin
8:42 AM

Ten Years Gone
Led Zeppelin
8:35 AM

Dancing Days
Led Zeppelin
8:31 AM

When the Levee Breaks
Led Zeppelin
8:24 AM

Whole Lotta Love
Led Zeppelin
8:18 AM

Going to California
Led Zeppelin
8:15 AM

In the Evening
Led Zeppelin
8:08 AM

Over the Hills and Far Away
Led Zeppelin
8:03 AM

Heartbreaker/Livin Lovin Maid
Led Zeppelin
7:56 AM

Custard Pie
Led Zeppelin
7:52 AM

Sebastian Kurz's People's Party Wins Parliamentary Elections in Austria - UPDATED!

At the Guardian U.K., "Conservative Sebastian Kurz on track to become Austria’s next leader: Centre of political gravity shifts right as projections put 31-year-old Kurz’s Austrian People’s party ahead in election with 31.7%."

And at WaPo, "Austria turns sharply to the right in an election shaped by immigration":
Early exit polls of Austria's Oct. 15 election, suggest Sebastian Kurz, will take his party into a very narrow majority — positioning himself as the next chancellor. The 31-year old conservative is known for his pledge to take the country into a more hard line stance against the influx of refugees and migrants.

BERLIN — Austria became the latest European country to take a sharp turn right on Sunday, with the conservative People’s Party riding a hard-line position on immigration to victory in national elections and likely to form a government with a nationalist party that has long advocated for an even tougher stance.

The result puts the 31-year-old foreign minister and People’s Party leader, Sebastian Kurz, in line to become Austria’s next chancellor after a campaign in which he emphasized the need to strengthen border controls, reduce caps on refugees and slash benefits for newcomers.

Much of Kurz’s rhetoric echoed positions long held by the Freedom Party, which for decades has anchored the far right of politics in this nation of 8.7 million.

With nearly all results counted as of Monday morning, the Freedom Party was in second place at 27.4 percent, with the ruling Social Democrats trailing close behind at 26.7 percent. The People’s Party was the decisive winner, at 31.6 percent.

“I’ll fight with all my strength for change in this country,” Kurz told cheering supporters — many clad in turquoise, the color he adopted to signal a new era for the People’s Party after decades of identification with black. “There’s a lot to do.”

Two years after Austria was among the more welcoming nations in Europe for refugees fleeing en masse across the continent, the results revealed just how sour public sentiment has turned. Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war, oppression and poverty passed through the central European nation on their way to destinations farther north and west in late 2015 and early 2016. Tens of thousands stayed in the country and applied for asylum protection.

“Austrians are fearful because of immigration and the refugee crisis,” said Reinhard Heinisch, a political scientist at the University of Salzburg. “Kurz addressed these fears, and played with these fears.”

As in other elections across Europe this year, the far right made significant progress, but not enough to triumph.

In France this spring, National Front leader Marine Le Pen made it to the final round of the presidential election. Just last month, the Alternative for Germany Party took 13 percent of the vote — putting a far-right party in the German Parliament for the first time in more than half a century.

But unlike in those nations, in Austria the far right is expected to become part of the government. Kurz will need a coalition partner to form a majority in the parliament, and the Freedom Party is considered the most likely option.

If he goes that route, it would end a “grand coalition” between Austria’s center left and center right that has led the country for the past decade, and for much of its modern history.

Some on Sunday called on Kurz to avoid teaming up with the Freedom Party...
A lot of good that'll do. Kurz himself is a former neo-Nazi, according to Sunday's report at the New York Times. I don't care for anyone with that kind of background and I denounce them. But I think it's just deserts for the radical left, who opened up Europe to the Muslim invasion, and thus opened up the European democracies to a resurgence of nativist, even racist, political parties.

More.

UPDATE: Correction, it's not Kurz who belonged to neo-Nazi groups previously, but Heinz-Christian Strache, the leader of the Austrian Freedom Party, which came in second in Sunday's election and is likely to enter the government in a coalition with Kurz's People's Party.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Myla Dalbesio Caught by Surprise

At Taxi Driver, "Big and Busty Sports Illustrated Model Myla Dalbesio Caught Topless at Photoshoot."

Satanic LGBT Drag Queen Reads to Small Children at Michelle Obama Public Library in Long Beach

Seriously, this Michelle Obama Public Library in Long Beach is not even two miles from my college. So saying this "hits a little close to home" is putting it mildly. This is mind-boggling.

At CBS News 2 Los Angeles, "Photo of Horned Drag Queen Reading to Kids at Long Beach Library Goes Viral."

And see Gateway Pundit, "Satanic Looking Drag Queen with Horns Reads to Little Kids at Michelle Obama Public Library." (The Long Beach Public Library removed photos of the drag queen from its social media accounts, but of course, the Internet's forever. I'm shaking my head at this, man.)


Today's Deals

Shop today, at Amazon.

And, Saucony Men's 6 Pair Performance Comfort Fit No-Show Socks.

More, ASICS Women's Intensity Single Tab Running Socks (3 Pack).

Also, Nestlé Pure Life Bottled Purified Water, 16.9 oz. Bottles, 24/Case.

Still more, Vega Sport Protein Bar, Chocolate Peanut Butter, 2.14oz Bar, 12 Count.

Here, Lot of 3 Coppertone Sport Twin Pack Spray Sunscreen SPF 30 WITH UVA/UVB Protection.

Plus, Maud’s Gourmet Coffee Pods - Tall Dark & Handsome Dark Roast, 100-Count Single Serve Coffee Pods - Richly Satisfying Premium Arabica Beans, California-Roasted - Kcup Compatible, Including.

BONUS: Margaret George, Elizabeth I: The Novel.

Harvey Weinstein Can't Wash Away Hollywood's Sins

From Glenn Reynolds, at USA Today, "MY USA TODAY COLUMN: Harvey Weinstein can’t wash away Hollywood’s sins: Exiling one mogul won’t bury this question: If people realize the system is exploitative and inhuman, will they still watch movies?":
For his misbehavior, film mogul Harvey Weinstein has been expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is a pretty big deal, considering that director Roman Polanski, who pleaded guilty to rape charges involving a 13-year-old girl, is still a member.

Hollywood has stood by Polanski for decades, even as other rape accusations surfaced. Whoopi Goldberg famously remarked eight years ago that his crime, in which he drugged and anally raped the girl, wasn’t “rape-rape.”

Yet Hollywood has turned, with blinding speed, on Weinstein. He has been cast out in a way that previous Hollywood figures have not.

Why is this? I think it’s because Weinstein wasn’t as unusual as they’d like us to believe. I think it’s because Hollywood has figured out that the world is different now, and that the tame entertainment press and Hollywood publicists can’t control stories anymore. I think it’s because they hope that if they’re hard enough on Weinstein, the story will go away and the public won’t realize that he was part of an ecosystem of exploitation, part of business as usual, not a departure from it.

They aren’t turning on Weinstein because they suddenly found out what he was like. They always knew. They’re turning on Weinstein because America found out what he was like, and they’re hoping to distract people before they draw the correct conclusion about what Hollywood in general is like.

I don’t think it will work.

Harvey Weinstein is a very large man, but he is not large enough to carry away all of Hollywood’s sins.  As John Podhoretz writes, “In how many industries is there a specific term for demanding sexual favors in exchange for employment? There’s a ‘casting couch’; there’s no ‘insurance-adjuster couch.’ In how many industries do people conduct meetings in hotel rooms at off hours anyway? And in how many industries could that meeting in a hotel room end up with the dominant player telling a young woman she should feel comfortable getting naked in front of him because the job for which she is applying will require her to get naked in front of millions?”

Hollywood is the way it is because the nature of the work — a lot of judgment calls, without much in the way of transparency or objective standards — means that people who want to abuse their power can do so. Having a mogul on your side, or sometimes even a talent agent or assistant producer, can make a career; having one of them mad at you can sink it...
More.


Jennifer Delacruz's Monday Forecast

It's been actually scorching in SoCal. It was 96 in Irvine yesterday, which is very nice, but a little unusual.

Here's the lovely Ms. Jennifer with today's forecast. Hopefully, all the California wildfires will come under control.

At ABC News 10 San Diego:



Older People Heavily Represented in Fatalities in Northern California Fires

They can't get out fast enough. Some of them can't hear, or had spotty cell phone coverage. They never got evacuation warnings.

What a nightmare. And sad.

At LAT, "California firestorm takes deadly toll on elderly; average age of victims identified so far is 79":

As authorities begin to identify those killed in the wildfires raging across Northern California, a grim pattern is emerging.

Among the dozen people identified by Sonoma and Napa county officials as of late Thursday, the average age of those who died was 79. The youngest victim was 57, the oldest 100.

“The bulk of them are in their 70s and 80s, so there is that commonality,” Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano told reporters at a news briefing.

A majority were found inside their homes, unable to escape as the fire bore down. At least one was confined to a wheelchair. Another was lying next to a vehicle.

The trend highlights a risk for elderly people when a natural disaster strikes: Health problems may limit mobility. They may no longer drive, and often live in areas with unreliable cellphone service.

In Sonoma County, where most of the fatalities occurred, 18% of the population is over the age of 62, compared with 11% for all of California.

“With any sort of disaster … the elderly may not have transportation, they may not have access to evacuate as fast as possible,” said Sonoma County spokesman Scott Alonso. “They may be wheelchair-bound, they may have access issues — those folks may take more care to evacuate safely.”

That’s why, he said, police officers were going door-to-door Sunday night alerting people to get out. But he said it’s too early to tell whether the elderly were disproportionately affected.

That was the case two years ago when the fast-moving Valley fire ripped through Lake County and took the lives of four people. They were a 72-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis trapped in her home, and three men over the age of 65, two of whom decided not to evacuate.

The Butte fire that year didn’t spread as quickly, though the two people killed were seniors: a one-legged 65-year-old man who stayed home to protect his property and an 82-year-old man.

A 2008 report criticized disaster response systems in California. The state Department of Social Services subsequently launched functional assessment service teams, which consist of government workers and volunteers who deploy to shelters to observe conditions and identify what’s missing. The teams assess the needs of seniors and those with disabilities, working to get them the services and equipment they need.

On Sunday night when the Atlas fire erupted, Sara and Charles Rippey were home in Napa with their caretaker, Maria Sandovar. Strong winds made the lights flicker. Sandovar looked out the back window and saw that the home’s fence was on fire.

She ran to lift Sara, 98, out of bed and onto her wheelchair. Charles, 100, was in the hallway.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

In a matter of minutes, black smoke had filled the house...

Harvey Weinstein's Contract Allowed Sexual Harassment

At Hot Air, "Pay to Prey: Weinstein’s Contract Basically Allowed for Sexual Harassment — So Long As He Paid the Company":
Even if you’re not a legal eagle, you may at some point in your life have encountered the term “moral turpitude” when signing a contract. Employers will sometimes stick that phrase into the section dealing with termination for cause, for understandable reasons. The idea is that if you do something morally egregious, something that offends the sensibilities of the organization or brings it into public disrepute, you can be canned summarily. Your boss is under no obligation to keep an embarrassing degenerate on the payroll.

A moral turpitude clause would have come in handy for Harvey Weinstein considering that, if his accusers are to be believed, he’s been harassing, intimidating, groping, extorting, and raping women for, oh, 20-25 years now. And yet, according to TMZ, no such clause was to be found in his contract with the Weinstein Company. On the contrary, Big Harv had an unusual twist on the traditional moral turpitude provision in his agreement. If he was accused of “misconduct” and ended up settling with his accuser, he had to reimburse the company for any legal expenses it incurred in the process — and then he had to pay them a fine. Of up to a million dollars.

These sick bastards actually profited from Weinstein paying hush money to his victims.
According to the contract, if Weinstein “treated someone improperly in violation of the company’s Code of Conduct,” he must reimburse TWC for settlements or judgments. Additionally, “You [Weinstein] will pay the company liquidated damages of $250,000 for the first such instance, $500,000 for the second such instance, $750,000 for the third such instance, and $1,000,000 for each additional instance.”

The contract says as long as Weinstein pays, it constitutes a “cure” for the misconduct and no further action can be taken. Translation — Weinstein could be sued over and over and as long as he wrote a check, he keeps his job...
More.