Well, it's not as though you allow the cats into the room while you're doing it. The real question for me is how anyone got the cats to not chase the dominoes once they start falling.
I like how the first cat doesn’t seem very interested in what’s happening with the falling dominos. Here, let me look at what’s going on over at this white wall.
I LOVE creating various Rube Goldberg devices and this kitten initiating the Domino principal with the colorful lineup beckoning kitten-cat on the floor is just TOO adorable!
As a title examiner, I ask why the cat would want the responsibility. Just get a life estate, for all nine lives if necessary. The humans still have to pay the bills and the cat gets to stay there.
Martini: “Cats are trainable, but they expect rewards for their efforts.”
Cat: “People are not trainable. I can barely get mine to feed me and cater to my every whim. Don’t reward them, it’s best if you just ignore them completely.”
i have--got me some yummy bonne maman cerise, and other stuffs--but though i signed up through the wonkette link, i may have forgotten to click on it when i got around to ordering, a few days later... soz! but i did name names where they asked how i heard about them.
"Millions of us think the bigger problem might be the killing. It seems to us war as the only option represents the greatest possible failure of human imagination there can be, and our wealth and resources and ingenuity seem to present many other options. Perhaps if we put our heads together, we might think of something else to do, that isn't nothing but isn't war, either. And even if many of us are foolish and ignorant about what that something might be, we think that seeking that something is better than not seeking it." -A.R. Moxon https://www.the-reframe.com/war-or-nothing/
Dunno why Dahlia Lithwick is so shocked. In 1933, the Reichstag's response to an attack on the Reichstag was to disestablish itself. That is the basic Fascist playbook: threaten democracy, then resolve the threat by removing democracy. It's what Fascism does. Did Dahlia believe that MAGA Fascists weren't really Fascists? I'm glad she's finally disabused herself of that notion, but I wonder what took her so long.
we have a Tesla which we love. Tesla 'gave us' a month trial of the self driving option. We didnt want it but tried it once and then didnt use it again. It was awful. Other than that we have had no issues with the car at all
Yeah, that part is always hard to asses. If all cars Tesla made were as bad as the ones you hear about in the news, they definitely wouldn't be in the place they are today.
And I will add: while so many people were crapping on Bragg, he, step by step, build a case worth bringing to a Jury. Obviously, conviction is never guaranteed, but Bragg so far did an excellent job.
And if Trump walks out as convicted felon in a few weeks, that will have a dramatic impact.
So would be an acquittal, but I think the best he can hope for (and probably aims for) is a hung jury.
---
When Donald Trump’s criminal trial resumes a few moments from now, the witness on the stand will not be David Pecker. It won’t be Michael Cohen. It won’t be Stormy Daniels or Karen McDougal or Hope Hicks either. It’ll be a name you almost certainly never heard of coming into this trial. And his testimony will be quite mundane. But that’s the point.
When the trial adjourned on Friday afternoon, the witness on the stand was the bank official who processed Cohen’s home equity loan. This testimony is legally important because Cohen told the bank that the money would not be used for political purposes, even though he was taking out the loan so he could pay off Stormy Daniels at Trump’s instruction. The bank official didn’t finish testifying, so he’ll be back on the stand this morning.
This all helps establish that Trump and Cohen were indeed carrying out a criminal conspiracy when they bought Daniels’ silence. And it’s crucial, because it helps corroborate the testimony that Cohen will give when he takes the stand later on. So even if the jury isn’t certain about wanting to take Cohen at his word, the bank officer’s testimony makes it much easier for the jury to buy into the whole thing.
When the threshold is proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the difference between conviction and acquittal can indeed come down to a bank official testifying about how a piece of paper was filled out. This kind of testimony is the glue that makes the headlining testimony from the likes of Cohen, Pecker, and McDougal stick together in the eyes of the jury. So today’s first witness is indeed crucial, even as “boring” as his testimony may be. It’s the kind of testimony that’ll ensure Donald Trump is convicted.
The latest take from the press is they'll grant him immunity for official acts but not for personal acts. So the next delay is to determine which are official and which are personal.
I ran across your non-comment not long after I finished this article about tech bros trying to take over San Francisco. I think that piano wire might have a future.
“ If ever a better articulation of the legal principle ‘Don’t make me hit you again’ has been proffered at an oral argument, it’s hard to imagine it.”
From the Slate article about the fuckheads on the Supreme Court. As a few of us have been discussing here, the right wing’s relationship to the rest of us fits so well into the narcissist abuser/victim framework. Those of us who may have adopted a “go along to get along” attitude until we could get free when this happened in our private lives need to shake that mindset off and get fighting. This shit is so enraging, and so scary.
Yeah, that article is scary AF. Trump and his lackeys launched an elaborate conspiracy to overturn the election results, culminating in whipping up a mob to delay certification. That sure sounds criminal to me. That article makes me wonder if SCOTUS would have okayed a second Trump term if that plot had been successful.
Those SCOTUS justices have been, in Wonkette parlance, sniffing their own farts for too long if they think he won’t have them summarily carted off for offending him, should he return to the White House.
I don't know if it is constitutinally legal but I sure wish there were term limits for Supreme Court justices. Alito and Thomas have been in there so long they think they own the place.
Lawyers argue about this. What the Constitution says is that Federal judges have life appointments. It doesn't quite say that staying on the Supreme Court is for life: maybe a statute could rotate them back into the appeals courts after 18 years.
Tenure has little to do with it. Boof and the others are just as unqualified to be up there. Thomas and probably Alito should be out on ethical grounds .
The problem is that the only way to kick a Justice off the Supreme Court is to impeach them, but that requires a 2/3rd majority vote, so it's never going to happen. At least with term limits you can hope that after 20 years some asshole with automatically get kicked out.
But, but if Trump isn’t allowed to start a failed putsch, he says he’ll have the DOJ file bogus charges against Obama and Biden. I know how only about 45% of voters even remember Jan. 6 or know about Donny’s dictatorship promises, but still!
What's scary about the whole "Trump immunity" shit is exactly that. I will only apply to trump. SCOTUS talking around the actual crimes he committed and only dealing in scenarios is very "The Emperor Has No Diaper!"
I'm gonna have biopsy of prostate done in a couple of weeks, mainly due to prior family history, then if no cancer then I am going to have water jet blasting away some prostate constriction of the pee pipe.
This hed gif is a fun one today from Cat Navi Desk, who does tricks with cats. Learn more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/martiniambassador/p/cats-dominoes-and-ping-pong-balls
I laughed so much watching this
My screen went dark before the cats stopped watching the dominoes 😄😄
It’s a good thing Noem’s target wasn’t a cat, because Wonkette’s wrath would be unstoppable!
True -- although even Wonkette would have had to get in line!
Am I the only one who's non-commenting comes with a non-post button and no way to non-upvote stuff I like?
Cuz if so I am gonna get irate!
It happened to me yesterday and I was left crying into the void.
It finally righted itself.
But there was a moment of existential despair. Followed by an inkling of irate
I have not seen that issue. Did you try clearing your cache and reloading the page? That often helps me when I'm having commenting problems.
Cats super excited to be part of the plan!
LOL!
I am astonished that it was possible to set up all those dominoes without a cat knocking them down before you are even a quarter of the way done.
Well, it's not as though you allow the cats into the room while you're doing it. The real question for me is how anyone got the cats to not chase the dominoes once they start falling.
I like how the first cat doesn’t seem very interested in what’s happening with the falling dominos. Here, let me look at what’s going on over at this white wall.
I LOVE creating various Rube Goldberg devices and this kitten initiating the Domino principal with the colorful lineup beckoning kitten-cat on the floor is just TOO adorable!
Rube would have been proud.
Those are some talented and well trained kitties!
This exemplifies the kind of teamwork for which cats are so well known.
Easy to herd too, or so I've, um... heard.
I assume someone has tried the experiment with a border collie. Does anyone know how it came out?
Head 'em up, move, move 'em out, Rawhide.
I'm gonna need a bigger The Crew.
The only trick my cat knows how to do is to stand in the litter box and poop over the edge when he's mad.
Imagine how impressed I am seeing these cats set up all those dominoes.
That’s a pretty good Fuck You!
I bet that Barn Cat is pretty smart.
I was hoping the kitty would get a little treat at the end.
the way the cat was looking off camera made me think they were looking at the reward being offered for the correct action
Did.
I bet they do eventually. Cats are trainable, but they expect rewards for their efforts.
I knew a couple in the '70s who had trained their cat to "roll over." All they had to do was sign over the title to their house to him.
As a title examiner, I ask why the cat would want the responsibility. Just get a life estate, for all nine lives if necessary. The humans still have to pay the bills and the cat gets to stay there.
Cats are Union.
Cats are also management -
Cats are both capital and control means of production
You're just askin' for a WILDCAT STRIKE !!!
Cats are the trainers.
Isn't that the truth.
Yesterday my cat was YOWLING emphatically from the kitchen. Her complaint?
That the chicken snack I left on a plate on the floor for her while she was sleeping was no longer WARM and she wanted it heated up.
Chicken rewarmed = quiet contentment
You did your duty.
Martini: “Cats are trainable, but they expect rewards for their efforts.”
Cat: “People are not trainable. I can barely get mine to feed me and cater to my every whim. Don’t reward them, it’s best if you just ignore them completely.”
I love this Tabs gif. Kitties for the win!
Has anyone ordered anything through Martie. I have some weird stuff coming my way. It looks like you get free shipping on orders over $50.
i have--got me some yummy bonne maman cerise, and other stuffs--but though i signed up through the wonkette link, i may have forgotten to click on it when i got around to ordering, a few days later... soz! but i did name names where they asked how i heard about them.
Kristi Noem vows to shoot a dog every week until Trump makes her his VP pick.
Unless newer polls show her voters would prefer "daily" instead of "weekly".
"Millions of us think the bigger problem might be the killing. It seems to us war as the only option represents the greatest possible failure of human imagination there can be, and our wealth and resources and ingenuity seem to present many other options. Perhaps if we put our heads together, we might think of something else to do, that isn't nothing but isn't war, either. And even if many of us are foolish and ignorant about what that something might be, we think that seeking that something is better than not seeking it." -A.R. Moxon https://www.the-reframe.com/war-or-nothing/
Dunno why Dahlia Lithwick is so shocked. In 1933, the Reichstag's response to an attack on the Reichstag was to disestablish itself. That is the basic Fascist playbook: threaten democracy, then resolve the threat by removing democracy. It's what Fascism does. Did Dahlia believe that MAGA Fascists weren't really Fascists? I'm glad she's finally disabused herself of that notion, but I wonder what took her so long.
I am only an expert in disliking Musk, but if that stuff here is legit ... one could almost feel sorry for Tesla owners and workers.
https://montanaskeptic.substack.com/p/the-nhtsa-has-finally-exposed-musks
we have a Tesla which we love. Tesla 'gave us' a month trial of the self driving option. We didnt want it but tried it once and then didnt use it again. It was awful. Other than that we have had no issues with the car at all
Yeah, that part is always hard to asses. If all cars Tesla made were as bad as the ones you hear about in the news, they definitely wouldn't be in the place they are today.
You got one of those, too?
https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModel3/comments/1681avx/crazy/
Yes we do
Nice write up from Bob Palmer.
And I will add: while so many people were crapping on Bragg, he, step by step, build a case worth bringing to a Jury. Obviously, conviction is never guaranteed, but Bragg so far did an excellent job.
And if Trump walks out as convicted felon in a few weeks, that will have a dramatic impact.
So would be an acquittal, but I think the best he can hope for (and probably aims for) is a hung jury.
---
When Donald Trump’s criminal trial resumes a few moments from now, the witness on the stand will not be David Pecker. It won’t be Michael Cohen. It won’t be Stormy Daniels or Karen McDougal or Hope Hicks either. It’ll be a name you almost certainly never heard of coming into this trial. And his testimony will be quite mundane. But that’s the point.
When the trial adjourned on Friday afternoon, the witness on the stand was the bank official who processed Cohen’s home equity loan. This testimony is legally important because Cohen told the bank that the money would not be used for political purposes, even though he was taking out the loan so he could pay off Stormy Daniels at Trump’s instruction. The bank official didn’t finish testifying, so he’ll be back on the stand this morning.
This all helps establish that Trump and Cohen were indeed carrying out a criminal conspiracy when they bought Daniels’ silence. And it’s crucial, because it helps corroborate the testimony that Cohen will give when he takes the stand later on. So even if the jury isn’t certain about wanting to take Cohen at his word, the bank officer’s testimony makes it much easier for the jury to buy into the whole thing.
When the threshold is proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the difference between conviction and acquittal can indeed come down to a bank official testifying about how a piece of paper was filled out. This kind of testimony is the glue that makes the headlining testimony from the likes of Cohen, Pecker, and McDougal stick together in the eyes of the jury. So today’s first witness is indeed crucial, even as “boring” as his testimony may be. It’s the kind of testimony that’ll ensure Donald Trump is convicted.
Lordy, good morning, y'all! I did not get the sleep I should have to tackle all the work I have this week. I had to move around a bunch of furniture and getting everything cleaned and put back made me want to make a mess again. https://substack.com/@desertabundance/note/c-55087118?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=b2vrq
The only reason SCROTUS took the case was to delay, delay, delay. They had absolutely no business taking it.
I don't think so. I think they actually want to give Trump immunity... if he wins.
The latest take from the press is they'll grant him immunity for official acts but not for personal acts. So the next delay is to determine which are official and which are personal.
Fucking hell, the conservative judges are so damn corrupt.
Yeah. They injected themselves into this just to delay.
Happy Mussolini Execution Day
to all who celebrate
I ran across your non-comment not long after I finished this article about tech bros trying to take over San Francisco. I think that piano wire might have a future.
https://newrepublic.com/article/180487/balaji-srinivasan-network-state-plutocrat
“ If ever a better articulation of the legal principle ‘Don’t make me hit you again’ has been proffered at an oral argument, it’s hard to imagine it.”
From the Slate article about the fuckheads on the Supreme Court. As a few of us have been discussing here, the right wing’s relationship to the rest of us fits so well into the narcissist abuser/victim framework. Those of us who may have adopted a “go along to get along” attitude until we could get free when this happened in our private lives need to shake that mindset off and get fighting. This shit is so enraging, and so scary.
Every defense of their actions always comes down to, "Look what you made me do."
Yeah, that article is scary AF. Trump and his lackeys launched an elaborate conspiracy to overturn the election results, culminating in whipping up a mob to delay certification. That sure sounds criminal to me. That article makes me wonder if SCOTUS would have okayed a second Trump term if that plot had been successful.
Those SCOTUS justices have been, in Wonkette parlance, sniffing their own farts for too long if they think he won’t have them summarily carted off for offending him, should he return to the White House.
It appears like they are trying like hell to get him a second term.
I don't know if it is constitutinally legal but I sure wish there were term limits for Supreme Court justices. Alito and Thomas have been in there so long they think they own the place.
Lawyers argue about this. What the Constitution says is that Federal judges have life appointments. It doesn't quite say that staying on the Supreme Court is for life: maybe a statute could rotate them back into the appeals courts after 18 years.
There's a lot of thought that this would not fly.
Tenure has little to do with it. Boof and the others are just as unqualified to be up there. Thomas and probably Alito should be out on ethical grounds .
The problem is that the only way to kick a Justice off the Supreme Court is to impeach them, but that requires a 2/3rd majority vote, so it's never going to happen. At least with term limits you can hope that after 20 years some asshole with automatically get kicked out.
Someone suggested staggered ten-year terms so that every president would get the opportunity to appoint at least one justice.
But, but if Trump isn’t allowed to start a failed putsch, he says he’ll have the DOJ file bogus charges against Obama and Biden. I know how only about 45% of voters even remember Jan. 6 or know about Donny’s dictatorship promises, but still!
Actually, tramp should be in Gitmo next to Clarence and Ginni.
---
“I should be in Georgia
right now. I should be in Florida right now. I should be in a lot of places campaigning right now,” Trump raged last week.
The moment he gets a day off from court, he goes golfing.
And some intrepid reporter checked. He's got a tee time reserved at Bedminster on the day of Barron's graduation.
"I should be in a very deep hole right now on one of my golf courses and I don't mean while looking for my ball either"
Where you should NOT be is ON MY FRIGGIN TEEVEE
Ugh, yes. His very presence in our national consciousness is oppressive enough; if he slithers back into the White House…I shudder to think.
MSM covers him all the fucking time - when we should be focusing on obscene income disparity in the US - healthcare - and global-fucking-warming.
It's the oligarch billionaires' Bread 'n Circuses industrial complex.
More pseudo "news" than ever, and it's not actually about the 'why' causing anything.
Alito needs to go on bird safari in South Dakota.
Considering how competent he is in everything else he does, we should give him to Kristi Noem as a bird dog.
"Alithole's been buckshot in the wheat!"
What's scary about the whole "Trump immunity" shit is exactly that. I will only apply to trump. SCOTUS talking around the actual crimes he committed and only dealing in scenarios is very "The Emperor Has No Diaper!"
Welp, survived the yearly prostate checkup at the uroligist.. no news is good news..
Growing old sucks, but it beats the alternative.
Congrats..welcome back to the fight...
My consumption of Horror genre movies and books declines with every new birthday.
Why waste time on fictionalized horrors when the aging process dumps new ones right in the lap?
IK.R? I tried to watch the most beautiful Naomi Watts in a scary movie and I could not hack it...
I am prostrate with glandness for you, Sir!
Excellent news!
Well damned done, sir!
Salute!!
I'm gonna have biopsy of prostate done in a couple of weeks, mainly due to prior family history, then if no cancer then I am going to have water jet blasting away some prostate constriction of the pee pipe.
Words I didn't need to hear when I had a biopsy done a few years ago:
"Woah! Woah! zoom out! zoom out!"
But.. all apparently still benign..
What, no "Enhance!"?
Biopsy: click sproing ow
Water jet, eh? I hope it beats the way they did mine (fancified apple corer).
Move over Stephen King!
My new novel *The Urologist Wore Black* is set to be published soon.
*faints*