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Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

The New York Times lists Emmy winners. The AP has an overview story here.

New York Times: “Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who had captured the public’s imagination since 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead on Saturday in Norway, according to a nonprofit that worked to protect the whale.... [Hvaldimir] was wearing a harness that identified it as “equipment” from St. Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount. Some wondered if the whale was on a Russian reconnaissance mission. Russia has never claimed ownership of the whale. If Hvaldimir was a spy, he was an exceptionally friendly one. The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas....” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Oh, Lord, do not let Bobby Kennedy, Jr., near that carcass. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: “There’s no evidence that a well-known beluga whale that lived off Norway’s coast and whose harness ignited speculation it was a Russian spy was shot to death last month as claimed by animal rights groups, Norwegian police said Monday.... Police said that the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a preliminary autopsy on the animal, which was become known as 'Hvaldimir,' combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'There are no findings from the autopsy that indicate that Hvaldimir has been shot,' police said in a statement.”

New York Times: Botswana's “President Mokgweetsi Masisi grinned as he lifted the diamond, a 2,492-carat stone that is the biggest diamond unearthed in more than a century and the second-largest ever found, according to the Vancouver-based mining operator Lucara, which owns the mine where it was found. This exceptional discovery could bring back the luster of the natural diamond mining industry, mining companies and experts say. The diamond was discovered in the same relatively small mine in northeastern Botswana that has produced several of the largest such stones in living memory. Such gemstones typically surface as a result of volcanic activity.... The diamond will likely sell in the range of tens of millions of dollars....”

Click on photo to enlarge.

~~~ Guardian: "On a distant reef 16,000km from Paris, surfer Gabriel Medina has given Olympic viewers one of the most memorable images of the Games yet, with an airborne celebration so well poised it looked too good to be true. The Brazilian took off a thundering wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti on Monday, emerging from a barrelling section before soaring into the air and appearing to settle on a Pacific cloud, pointing to the sky with biblical serenity, his movements mirrored precisely by his surfboard. The shot was taken by Agence France-Presse photographer Jérôme Brouillet, who said “the conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected”. He took the photo while aboard a boat nearby, capturing the surreal image with such accuracy that at first some suspected Photoshop or AI." 

Washington Post: “'Mary Cassatt at Work' is a large and mostly satisfying exhibition devoted to the career of the great American artist beloved for her sensitive and often sentimental views of family life. The 'at work' in the title of the Philadelphia Museum of Art show references the curators’ interest in Cassatt’s pioneering effort to establish herself as a professional artist within a male-dominated field. Throughout the show, which includes some 130 paintings, pastels, prints and drawings, the wall text and the art on view stresses Cassatt’s fixation on art as a career rather than a pastime.... Mary Cassatt at Work is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sept. 8. philamuseum.org”

New York Times: “Bob Newhart, who died on Thursday at the age of 94, has been such a beloved giant of popular culture for so long that it’s easy to forget how unlikely it was that he became one of the founding fathers of stand-up comedy. Before basically inventing the hit stand-up special, with the 1960 Grammy-winning album 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart' — that doesn’t even count his pay-per-view event broadcast on Canadian television that some cite as the first filmed special — he was a soft-spoken accountant who had never done a set in a nightclub. That he made a classic with so little preparation is one of the great miracles in the history of comedy.... Bob Newhart holds up. In fact, it’s hard to think of a stand-up from that era who is a better argument against the commonplace idea that comedy does not age well.”

Washington Post: “An early Titian masterpiece — once looted by Napolean’s troops and a part of royal collections for centuries — caused a stir when it was stolen from the home of a British marquess in 1995. Seven years later, it was found inside an unassuming white and blue plastic bag at a bus stop in southwest London by an art detective, and returned. This week, the oil painting 'The Rest on the Flight into Egypt' sold for more than $22 million at Christie’s. It was a record for the Renaissance artist, whom museums describe as the greatest painter of 16th-century Venice. Ahead of the sale in April, the auction house billed it as 'the most important work by Titian to come to the auction market in more than a generation.'”

Washington Post: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., which houses the world's largest collection of Shakespeare material, has undergone a major renovation. "The change to the building is pervasive, both subtle and transformational."

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Friday
Aug072015

The Commentariat -- August 8, 2015

Internal links removed.

White House: "In this week's address, the President celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by underscoring the importance of one of the most fundamental rights of our democracy – that all of us are created equal and that each of us deserves a voice":

** Adam Bernstein & Patricia Sullivan of the Washington Post: "Frances Oldham Kelsey "died Aug. 7 at her daughter’s home in London, Ontario. She was 101.... Kelsey, a medical officer at the Food and Drug Administration in Washington..., raised concerns about thalidomide before its effects were conclusively known. For a critical 19-month period, she fastidiously blocked its approval while drug company officials maligned her as a bureaucratic nitpicker. Dr. Kelsey, a physician and pharmacologist [was] later lauded as a heroine.... In July 1962, The Washington Post directed national attention on the matter — and on Dr. Kelsey — with a front-page article reporting that her 'skepticism and stubbornness ... prevented what could have been an appalling American tragedy.'... The global thalidomide calamity precipitated legislation signed by President John F. Kennedy in October 1962 that substantially strengthened the FDA’s authority over drug testing.” The law is still in force. ...

     ... CW: Just another of those "jobs-killing" regulations that Republicans want to quash. A remarkable woman, Kelsey first disapproved U.S. distribution of thalidomide after she had been on the job only a few weeks. Representatives from the pharmeceutical company, William S. Merrell, which had licensed the drug in the U.S. and "had large potential profits riding on the application, began to complain to her bosses and show up at her office, with respected clinical investigators in tow, to protest the hold-up." ...

... Kelsey's New York Times obituary is here.

Carol Morello of the Washington Post: "Diplomats from the five countries that negotiated the Iran nuclear agreement with the United States have launched a coordinated lobbying effort on Capitol Hill, with some warning lawmakers that if Congress scuttles the accord, there may be no chance of resuming talks to get a better deal. 'The option of going back to negotiations is close to zero,' Philipp Ackermann, the deputy ambassador of the German Embassy, said in a briefing Thursday with reporters." ...

... Jim Fallows: "On Wednesday at American University, Barack Obama made the case for the Iran nuclear agreement, and against its critics.... Later that afternoon, the president met [on the record] in the Roosevelt Room of the White House with nine journalists to talk for another 90 minutes about the thinking behind the plan, and its likely political and strategic effects.... The context for Obama’s certainty is his knowledge that in the rest of the world, this agreement is not controversial at all." ...

... Jonathan Weisman & Jennifer Steinhauer of the New York Times: "The decision by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York to oppose the Iran nuclear deal has rattled the Democratic bulwark around the accord, emboldened the deal’s opponents in both parties, and set off a wave of condemnation from liberals for the man who hopes to lead Senate Democrats in the next Congress. But supporters of the accord said on Friday that Democratic defections would not be enough to bring it down."

Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Obama will slip out of Washington on Friday afternoon for his annual Martha’s Vineyard vacation...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ...

... CW: The President is going to make this a 16-day holiday, which of course upsets wingers to no end. Just to refresh their non-existent memories, FactCheck.org noted a year ago, "Before his two-week trip to Martha’s Vineyard in August [2014], Obama’s count was 125 full or partial days and [George W.] Bush’s total at the same point in his presidency was 407."

Larry Neumeister of the AP: "Another federal appeals court Friday ruled against Catholic church-affiliated groups that oppose being required to provide contraceptive care to employees through a third party. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a Brooklyn judge's ruling.... The appeals court in Manhattan said an Affordable Care Act provision that lets religion-related entities put the burden for providing contraceptive care services on third parties does not erode religious rights.... In a decision written by Judge Rosemary Pooler, the 2nd Circuit noted that six other appeals circuits have rejected similar cases brought for religious reasons since Judge Brian Cogan ruled in Brooklyn in December 2013. Four of those cases have been appealed to the Supreme Court.... The appeals court noted that the Supreme Court in a decision related to the Affordable Care Act has said the accommodation effectively exempts eligible organizations from the contraceptive coverage mandate."

Rebecca Shabad of the Hill: "The budget deficit for 2015 is expected to drop to roughly $425 billion, according to a report released Friday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That’s down from the $486 billion the CBO projected in March."

Presidential Race

Stupid Candidates Prepare to Dumb Down. Alan Rappeport of the New York Times: "Most of the candidates left Friday for Atlanta for the annual Red State gathering, hosted by Erick Erickson, a conservative commentator. With one debate complete, the rhythm of cattle calls and red-meat speeches to the Republican base continues." ...

... Erick Erickson claims he has disinvited Donald Trump from the Red State thing, & has invited Megyn Kelly to speak in his place. Because woman-hating, rabid anti-abortionist Erickson finds that Donald's dissing of Kelly was "a bridge too far." (I guess calling David Souter a "goat-fucking child molester" was a bridge worth crossing. Or writing that if President Obama were "shagging hookers..., marxist harpy" Michelle Obama “would go Lorena Bobbit [sic] on him....”) CW: Oddly enough, Erickson never had Trump on his agenda in the first place. ...

     ... Update. Robert Costa of the Washington Post: "In an interview with The Washington Post, Erickson said Trump had been scheduled to speak..., but he told Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, about an hour before midnight that Trump was no longer welcome. Trump’s campaign said in a statement that Erickson’s decision was 'another example of weakness through being politically correct. For all the people who were looking forward to Mr. Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and pathetic leader. We’ll now be doing another campaign stop at another location.'”

... The Atlanta-Journal Constitution is covering the candidates' speeches at Red State. Here's Marco. The folks loved Carly. Bobby whacked Jeb!, who is a no-show. Here's Rick Perry. Chris Christie was the first to speak. Later today, there should be more here.

And the Winner Is -- Fox "News"! Chris Ariens of TV Newser: "A whopping 24 million watched the debate from 9 p.m. ET to just past 11 p.m. ET.... This is now the highest non-sports cable program of all time, the highest-rated cable news program of all time, and Fox News’s most-watched program ever."

Frank Rich reviews that awful off-off-Broadway act, "Donald & the Disappointments." ...

... Charles Pierce: "Voting rights? What are those? Black lives matter? They do? Let's talk more about protecting the rights of Zygote-Americans.... This debate served two purposes, and two purposes only. The first was to make money for Fox News, and to reinforce its influence within party. It apparently did that splendidly, thereby ensuring that Roger Ailes's position as a kingmaker remained secure. The second was to be part of eternal auction of souls demanded by the new age of legalized influence-peddling." ...

... Ha Ha. Dana Milbank checks up to see how well the GOP candidates performances Thursday conformed to the Republican National Committee's "autopsy" of the 2012 election, which "concluded that to win future presidential elections Republicans would need to be more inclusive of women, be more tolerant on gay rights..., support comprehensive immigration reform..., and stand strong against 'corporate malfeasance.'”

She had blood coming out of her eyes. Or blood coming out of her wherever. -- Donald Trump, on Megyn Kelly

... Brian Stelter of CNN: "One day after he starred in Fox's GOP primary debate, [Donald] Trump lashed out at debate moderator Megyn Kelly and the network as a whole.... The television news world is buzzing about whether Fox News has turned against Donald Trump." ...

... Where Lindsey Graham Agrees with Donald Trump. Mark Hensch of the Hill: "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is criticizing Fox News, saying the moderators of Thursday night's debate were too harsh with GOP rival Donald Trump. 'This was more of an inquisition than it was a debate,' Graham said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'” on Friday morning. 'It was a missed opportunity to talk about things that really mattered.' Graham charged that debate moderators Bret Baier, Chris Wallace and Megyn Kelly were particularly unfair in their questioning of Trump...." ...

... Gabriel Sherman of New York: "At the GOP primary debate Thursday night in Cleveland, Trump’s onstage clashes with the Fox moderators, and his postdebate complaints about the network’s treatment of him, were among the most talked-about story lines to emerge from the Quicken Loans Arena. What makes the confrontation all the more dramatic was that Fox News chairman Roger Ailes has, until this point, been a booster of the Trump candidacy, even to the chagrin of his boss, Rupert Murdoch.... For Trump's troubled campaign, Ailes could prove to be a tougher opponent than any he’s faced." ...

... CW: C'mon, people. This is all part of the Big Show. In the first act, Ailes has the moderators whack Trump. And why not? Aren't journalists supposed to nail the frontrunner? Ask the New York Times if you're not sure. And it's great teevee! Best ratings evah! In the second act, Trump extends the Fox debate by ripping Fox. Yay! More controversy. So exciting! Can hardly wait for the third act, starring Fox "News." Sure, a few Trump supporters may boycott Fox for a day or two, but you know they'll be back. Remember, it's a three-ring circus: Democrats, Republicans & the media, & the media are the ring that runs the show & owns the till. They are the winners of every election; Citizens United is a media company, for pete's sake. About three-quarters of the money we & our billionaire buddies donate to our favorite candidates goes to the "communications industry." Roger Ailes is just doing what he does to collect his huge cut. Trump is promoting himself of course, because that's the essential ingredient in his business model, & he knows the media run his publicity machine. Tune in next week today. ...

... Paul Waldman points to another rationale (and upside for) Fox "News" moderators' tough questions: "At this stage of the primary campaign, the Republican Party's interest lies in weeding out the weak candidates and testing the strong ones to see who can stand up to tough questions (and it also lies in cutting Donald Trump down).... So for the next eight or nine months until Republicans have their nominee, Fox is going to be tough on its candidates, like a drill sergeant getting them in shape for the battles to come. Once that nominee is chosen, the network's tone will shift on a dime, and he'll suddenly become the greatest American since Ronald Reagan.... In the meantime, Fox is the place to go if you want to see these candidates tested." ...

Still a pig.... Harold Meyerson in the American Prospect: "Somehow, the Fox News questioners never quite got around to asking the candidates what they planned to do to help actual existing Americans cope with a profoundly rigged economy and a climate growing annoyingly inhospitable to living things." The theme of the evening was "Fuck-You Republicanism." CW: Well, yeah, that's pretty much the only kind there is; they just dress it up & put lipstick on it in the general election.

... Steve M. Explains Donald Trump to Elite Shut-ins. "It's wrong to say that Trump fans 'don’t mind that Trump’s a narcissist' -- they savor his narcissism.... The reason they think he can fix everything is that he constantly reminds them how rich and successful he is. And it's thrilling to think that a rich, successful guy hates what they hate. It's as if they're joining with him in hate and experiencing the Trump wealth every time he thumps his chest."

Sahil Kapur of Bloomberg: "Jeb Bush's official campaign website on Thursday briefly featured two separate sections attacking two top Republican rivals, something he has not publicly done thus far in the 2016 presidential race.  One portion of his website went after ... Scott Walker.... 'The only job Scott Walker cares about creating is his own,' it read...." Another page attacked Marco Rubio. A Bush spokesman said the pages were just "draft pages that were taken down, we have lots of material to prepare for the debate as circumstances require." CW: What a shame Jeb! didn't get to weave the attacks into the Thursday's debate. Don't worry; the time will come. ...

     ... Steve M.: "Jeb insists he's running an upbeat, positive, optimistic campaign. He's said that 'tearing down other people won't help at all.' And it's true that he does seem gee-whizzy and aw-shucks-y most of the time on the trail (and in the debate last night). But he's a hypocrite. His allies leaked that 'asshole' story [linked here earlier in the week] -- but then he denied the report in last night's debate. And don't tell me the posting of the attacks was some campaign volunteer's accident. Bush is just another pol, but he wants to seem more high-minded than everyone else."

Beyond the Beltway

Jack Healy of the New York Times: "In a decision that surprised many in this community, a jury sentenced James E. Holmes to life in prison with no chance of parole on Friday, rejecting the death penalty for the man who carried out a 2012 shooting rampage that killed 12 people in a Colorado movie theater." ...

... The Denver Post story, by John Ingold & Jordan Steffen, is here.

Tom Jackman of the Washington Post: "The Fairfax County police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man in Springfield[, Virginia,] in 2013 has been fired, the Fairfax police confirmed Friday. Adam D. Torres, 32, fired one round which killed John B. Geer, 46, as Geer stood in the doorway of his townhouse, after a 42-minute standoff following a domestic disturbance call. No charges have been filed against Torres, but a special grand jury began hearing testimony and reviewing evidence in the case last week, and is scheduled to meet again Aug. 17."

Incredibly Stupid Tea Party Trick. Chad Livengood of the Detroit News: "State Rep. Todd Courser planned the distribution of a fictional email alleging he had sex with a male prostitute in a bid to conceal his relationship with Rep. Cindy Gamrat [R], according to audio recordings obtained by The Detroit News. Courser, a Lapeer Republican, said on one recording the email was designed to create 'a complete smear campaign' of exaggerated, false claims about him and Gamrat so a public revelation about the legislators’ relationship would seem 'mild by comparison.' Interviews with former House employees and the recordings show freshman lawmakers Courser and Gamrat, R-Plainwell, used their taxpayer-funded offices to maintain and cover up their relationship. Courser, 43, and Gamrat, 42, rose from the ranks of tea party activism.... The pair are socially conservative legislators who often invoke their Christian faith in pursuit of new legislation governing gun rights, abortion and marriage.” Both are married to other people & have children.

Comments Off

Reader Comments (7)

Since our favorite rubber ducky is still front and center here is something from James Surowiecki of the New Yorker who likens Trump to B.T. Barnum:

." Trump has earned publicity all on his own, by playing the role of that quintessential American figure the huckster. As others have observed, the businessman he most resembles is P. T. Barnum, whose success rested on what he called “humbug,” defined as “putting on glittering appearances . . . by which to suddenly arrest public attention, and attract the public eye and ear.” Barnum’s key insight into how to arrest public attention was that, to some degree, Americans enjoy brazen exaggeration. No American businessman since Barnum has been a better master of humbug than Trump has."

I, on the other hand, couldn't help thinking of the alfa-male gorilla who, when confronted with other male usurpers or when his females get edgy and out of control, stands up straight, pounds his chest, and bellows.
I'd like to say from now on I'm through with the Donald (following Marie's stance on Huckabee unless...) but I think he is going to continue to thrill all those working class people who think it's cool to be rich and say whatever you like and take big dumps on whatever and whomever he pleases, but never come up with solutions. He'll eventually fade away, but not before the chest pounding, barker bull has a few more rounds...and I may just have to have my say about that.

It seems to me that Obama (I picture him swimming in the waters off of Martha's Vineyard, feeling free and frolicky) has given countless speeches, private talks, in-group discussions, etc. about this Iran deal trying to persuade Congress to vote for it. But some in the media are saying, and I forget whom, (I think one was Brooks) Obama needs to explain better and NOT insult his adversaries. Huh? Back to the, "if only HE were more cuddly, warm,––a" have a drink in the blue room with the rest of the guys" kind of guy. It never ends.

Tonight I am going to watch "The Loved One"–-the British comedy that skewers the funeral industry–-that someone here recommended and will have some laughs. Last night I watched "Tootsie" for the third or fourth time and loved every minute. The world is too much with me––I may not have the waters off of M.V,. but I do have our pool and funny films.

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterPD Pepe

PD,

What did P.T. Barnum say was born every minute? Pretty well defines middle class Tea Baggers.

The US is an Oligarchy, an Aristocracy of wealth -- as has been most the world throughout history. The formula hasn't changed since ancient times: The Aristocracy, abetted by the Clergy, dupes the Bourgeoisie into thinking that they are allies and the Proletariat is the enemy. Still works, it's the GOP platform.

'The Loved One' is one of my top three all time favorites, along with 'Doctor Strangelove' and 'Young Frankenstein' (the real me). When I recently needed to select a surgeon, I jumped at the chance to choose one named Igor -- just so I could say: "Isn't that Eye-gore?" Was disappointed that he didn't seem to get it -- but he was a damn good surgeon.

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterD.C.Clark

Wondering how long it will be before some Confederate pundit, on vacation play acting as a Southern general in a Civil War reenactment, rips the president for going to Martha's Vineyard while the world is burning.

Also, Marie, Erickson did have Trump scheduled at his Jesus Hates You fetish fest. I linked a story from the AJC last week about his Bible Babble Bash. The article listed all the presidential suck ups who would be genuflecting before Erickson and his zealots, begging Jesus to please, pretty please smite their many enemies who refuse to shoot gays and liberals on sight. In fact, Trump was listed as the final speaker which would have made him the headliner for the haters.

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

D.C.,

If Dr. Igor did get the reference, he could have said "I can fix that hump" which would give you an opening to say...

So many lost opportunities in life!

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Akhilleus,

Or, as we went to his examining room: "Walk this way."

Sorry, Marie. I'll stop now.

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterD.C.Clark

@Akhilleus: according to Erickson (linked above), he did not put Trump on the "final agenda" for his shindig.

Marie

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterMarie Burns

Borowitz reports:

Trump Fails to Back Up Misogynist Slurs with Anti-woman Proposals, Rivals Say

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/trump-fails-to-back-up-misogynist-slurs-with-anti-woman-proposals-rivals-say

August 8, 2015 | Unregistered CommenterD.C.Clark
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