We haven't had an open thread in a while. Here's a new one, all topics welcome.

Subtropical storm Alberto made landfall this afternoon in Laguna Beach, Florida near Panama City. It's moving north, up through the Florida Panhandle. I hope everyone stays safe. Two TV news persons died when a tree fell on their car.

On Donald Trump and Memorial Day, from David Frum in the NY Times:

It’s not news that there is something missing from Trump where normal human feelings should go. His devouring need for admiration from others is joined to an extreme, even pathological, inability to return any care or concern for those others. But Trump’s version of this disconnect comes most especially to the fore at times of national ritual. Donald Trump cares enormously about national symbols—the flag, the anthem—when he can use them to belittle, humiliate, and exclude.

[More...]

So Harvey Weinstein is the new Most Hated Man in America. Turning that image around so that he's viewed as an old school casting couch director who only showed his junk to those who were willing to trade their bodies for camera time and film roles, and who never forced anyone to do anything is going to be a tough sell. The imagery doesn't work in his favor. He's gigantic and the accusing actresses and models probably all weighed 110 pounds or less.

What does work in his favor is the law. While the grand jury may add additional charges, as of now he's charged with forcibly making one woman engage in oral or a*nal s*x with him in 2004, and forcing another woman to have sex with him at (presumably) her hotel in March, 2013. I assume she was a company employee as Harvey Weinstein would never stay at a Doubletree in New York. (He was a Peninsula kind of guy.) [More...]

It's one of those infrequent gray sky days here. So gray that I've turned on all the lights and lamps and it's only 8 a.m.

I think I'll stay in, ride my Peloton and catch up on paper work.

Has anyone noticed the change in Google News? They took away the personalization feature and made it worthless. Google's presumption that it knows what we want to read better than we do is both arrogant and insulting. I've un-bookmarked it.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

What a treat for Mother's Day: Brunch with the TL kids and grandbaby, who is now 6 months old. I think she is really cute, especially her huge blue eyes. [More....]

I'm reading the news but not finding much to write about. I'm beyond sick of Donald Trump.

Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

The Bill Cosby case has gone to the jury.

Time for a new open thread, all topics welcome.

Tomorrow will be a remembrance day for the media. The second half of April is one of the worst in history.

April 19th is the anniversary of the WACO siege and the Oklahoma City bombing. On April 15, the Boston Marathon bombing occurred. April 20 is the anniversary of the Columbine shootings.

In other news, thee entire island of Puerto Rico is without power after a blast at its power station.

Then there is this news: 'It smells like death:' Alabama endures New York 'poop train' [More...]

Trump continues his mismanagement of national and international affairs. Turnover continues, as does his war of words with James Comey.

I'm back to writing about El Chapo -- as soon as I finish the Government's 107 page outline of evidence it intends to introduce at his trial.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I think I'm having time management issues. I just realized our last open thread is full, and I'm still catching up with the news.

Paul Ryan isn't running for re-election.

James Comey compares Trump to a "mob boss" in an interview with 20/20 to air Sunday night.(promoting his book).

Yesterday I was all caught up on the news. Today, I'm not. But we do need a new open thread until I find some blogging time, so here it is, all topics welcome.

The DEA is putting out bids for equipment to unlock iphones, including the new iPhone X

Grayshift, the company behind GrayKey, provides two different versions of the product: an online model for $15,000 which provides 300 unlocks, and an offline version for $30,000 with unlimited uses. The DEA is looking for the latter, according to the listing.

The Judge in El Chapo's case has unsealed (over the objection of the government) the letter El Chapo wanted to read to the court at his latest court hearing.

Vicente Zambada-Niebla is finally going to get sentenced in December. He'll have 6 years in good time. (One awaiting extradition in MX and 8 here.) He's likely to get a 10 year sentence, which means time served. Assuming he testifies against El Chapo, which many media reports and pleadings suggest, how can he go home to Mexico safely? He can't. In his plea agreement, the U.S. agreed to make efforts to allow him and his family to stay in the U.S.[More...]