BBO Discussion Forums: Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped? - BBO Discussion Forums

 hrothgar, on 2018-December-08, 10:56, said:

I would venture the guess that money laundering is a large part of the SDNY investigation with which Michael Cohen refused to cooperate, given his reported close ties to Russian Mafia figures.

Marcy Wheeler (emptywheel.net) seems to have the best grasp on the totality of the quid pro quo: (emphasis added)

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https://www.emptywhe...han-i-imagined/

 hrothgar, on 2018-December-07, 20:42, said:

have you posted a trip report from your vacation? i'd love to read it

Fox News Talked More About Migrant ‘Invasion’ Just Before Election Than In Past 3 Years Total - And it appears they’re only ramping up that fearmongering rhetoric.

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Ultra right fringe politics gearing up for an election.

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I have to strenuously disagree with this misguided analysis. Of course Dennison and other right fringe bigoted and extremist Fox personalities know that their hateful rhetoric riles up and motivates the white supremacists. They probably don't even consider this as a negative if it also provokes their base to be more bigoted and racist than before, if that is possible. They object to the accurate analysis of them because it could cost them votes from some independents who can't stomach their neo-nazi/KKK-like rhetoric.

 jjbrr, on 2018-December-09, 19:23, said:

Trip was a mixed bag. Had a great time in Japan and Thailand. The hotel in Cambodia was very much not up to snuff.
Non working AC during a Cambodian heat wave is so not my thing. Add in VERY musty bedding and I ended up fleeing the country.

There's an enormous number of photos (many with captions) on my FB page.
https://www.facebook...lley/photos_all

Almost all involve food since there are plenty of "better" pictures available of the tourist attractions.

Few quick notes:

1. For me, the big discovery of the trip was how much I like Kamakura period Japanese sculpture. The following is one of the most gorgeous pieces of art that I have ever seen
https://i.pinimg.com...ca9f1e5da1d.jpg

2. Single best dish of the trip was a seared quail breast with corn and a quail / corn stock that I had at Gaggan
https://scontent.fbo...30c&oe=5CA0E721

However, a tom yum soup with chicken blood and chicken feet that I got on a roadside in Bangkok was a close second
https://scontent.fbo...9b8&oe=5C68462C

Also tried a bone marrow pho that will stick with me for a while
https://scontent.fbo...6d4&oe=5C912248

Last, but not least tried a new (to me) fruit called a snake fruit that is well worth knowing about

I miss the ravens that are infesting Tokyo. Boston needs ravens!

My favorite ramen joint

https://scontent.fbo...0af&oe=5CA1953D

Again, Marcy Wheeler has an interesting take on Individual-1 and his payments to silence women. (enphasis added)

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One has to wonder if this had anything to do with Ayers not moving into the Individual-1 chief-of-staff position:

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My New Year's predictions - You heard it here first:

After the Mueller investigation is completed, and the House investigations about high crimes and misdemeanors to commence in January are completed, the House will impeach Individual-1 after incontrovertible evidence is presented.

With overwhelming evidence of criminal behavior, enough Senate Republicans in purple states will signal that they are willing to convict Individual-1 that conviction will be a certainty.

At this point, Individual-1 will release a statement saying there was no collusion, and no criminal conspiracy, and that he is resigning as President because of painful bone spurs that make it impossible for him to operate the many TV remote controls at his command.

"Dennison" Administration Paid Firm Nearly $14 Million To Recruit Just 2 Border Agents

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MIGA - Make Ireland Great Again

Curious. Fox and Friends asked Mike Pompeo real questions about the Kashoggi murder. I guess the worms have turned - at least for a few minutes.

 johnu, on 2018-December-11, 17:30, said:

Sounds more like your letter to Santa.

I really enjoyed the Gaggan episode of chef's table, and that ramen looks incredible.

I found Gaggan a mixed bag.

The second half of the meal was really solid. All 12 of the dishes worked and there were six in a row that I would consider exceptional.
The first half was much weaker from my perspective.

Too much emphasis on the presentation
not enough work on the flavors themselves.

The ramen is from a place called kikanbo that I quite enjoy

This is a big deal as it contributes to the conspiracy to defraud the US talked about in a post above:

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ConFraudUS

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Emphasis added. Source U.S. Department of Justice

 jjbrr, on 2018-December-12, 13:48, said:

I suppose now that I'm thinking about it, I really enjoyed the ramen episode of chef's table, too. Orkin is a really, really passionate badass, it seems, and that's pretty cool.

Sorry for the derail, all.

edit: and thanks for the trip report. that's really cool. a similar trip is something i've talked about doing with certain people i'd like to experience it with. no takers, yet.

 barmar, on 2018-December-12, 09:51, said:

Except for Dennison's reason for resigning, everything is on pace to come true. There's already more than enough legal reasons to impeach Dennison from Cohen's sentencing documents and the AMI deal with prosecutors where Dennison Individual-1 has been directly implicated as a co-conspirator in felonies. Amazingly enough, this is just periphery stuff as Mueller hasn't yet to file a single document directly concerning Dennison. Once Mueller's report is completed, and the House conducts it's own committee investigations about criminal activity by Dennison, Democrats will have no option but to begin impeachment proceedings against Dennison or lose any credibility with voters.

What's clear is that Dennison won't want to be the first US President in history to be impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate. Before that happens, he will make up a ridiculous and unbelievable reason why resigning is a victory for him and that he was the most successful and popular president in history.

Rudy Giuliani Says Dennison’s Legal Team Wants Mueller To ‘Wrap The Damn Thing Up’

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Oh Rudy

Another New Year's prediction from me:

After the Mueller report comes out, Rudy will denounce the Rush to Judgement by Mueller to implicate Dennison in all manner of criminal activities.

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Allowing giant conglomerates monopolies is antithesis to the mantra of the right, free market capitalism. I doubt any Republican will challenge this idea. After all, it is good for oligarchs.

 Winstonm, on 2018-December-13, 09:58, said:

There's a bit of a paradox there.

The benefits of a free market depend on adequate competition, and monopolies violate that assumption.

But "free" implies minimal regulation and restrictions, and laws that prohibit mergers violate that philosophy.

You have to pick your poison, and the GOP generally goes in the direction that minimizes restrictions. If asked to justify it, they'll use invoke of the same voodoo economics that produced the trickle-down theory.

 johnu, on 2018-December-13, 00:38, said:

I'm still not sure.

As long as the GOP has a majority in the Senate, removing him from office will be close to impossible. So impeaching him would be a mostly symbolic act. The the Republicans gain much when they impeached Clinton?

But I admit, that's not really a fair comparison. Clinton was impeached on charges stemming from a relatively inconsequential action -- he lied to Congress, but about something that had little national import (an extramarital affair), not election fraud or collusion with a foreign government. Individual-1's alleged crimes are more on par with Nixon than Clinton.