Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[iam416]

Final comment -- here is what the accused said:

Gregory McMichael, a former police detective, spotted Arbery jogging through the neighborhood and said he believed him to resemble a recent burglary suspect in the neighborhood

From what I've read, this is most definitely NOT enough for a citizen's arrest. You can't go around doing a citizen's arrest because you believe someone resembles someone who may have committed a crime previously. The police MIGHT be able to do that, but even then they'd need more -- like a lineup or identification. So, if that's his story then it's not enough.

[iam416]

Short blog entry on what I was talking about yesterday re testing and reopening: https://www.nationalreview.com/corne...covid-19-data/

The gist, which is entirely correct:

The same outlets that raised concerns about the United States lacking sufficient testing are now interpreting the data in a way that punishes testing increases. The result is that many readers have been misinformed into believing that the situation is getting worse, which has the unintended consequences of feeding into false claims that the actions we have taken so far were ineffective.

In attempting to find support for a narrative that things are getting worse and red states are making a mistake in considering moving to a re-opening phase, these outlets have resorted to misleading their readers. If media outlets expect to be trusted on this subject, they need to present the data in an accurate way and with proper context instead of looking for ways to support their pre-determined conclusions.

[Hannibal]

Talent -- the defendants claim that they have the guy on surveillance video.

[iam416]

Then call the fucking police. He's not going anywhere. That's the point about limiting citizen arrest powers -- it's not their fucking job. Cal the fucking police. It's their job. What you have is an ex-Police doing police work. And there ain't no "ex-Police can do police work" exception in any law.

It's a total bullshit argument, Hannibal.

[Hannibal]

Then what exactly is their crime? Not asking this smartassedly or rhetorically.

[iam416]

Besides killing someone? I'm not sure I understand.

[iam416]

To summarize -- these are the arguments the defendants have to make and win to avoid going to jail:

(1) Yes, we the initiated the confrontation, but we had no intent to kill him. Probably a winner.

(2) Yes, we were the aggressor, but we were justified in being the aggressor because we thought he committed a crime. I don't know Georgia law on this, but I have a hard time seeing this fly. So, I think they can lose right here (and should). The Court could probably rule on this issue as a matter of law (jury wouldn't decide if that happens). If they lose on this issue then they never get to (3).

(3) Ok, we didn't initiate with intent to kill and we weren't the aggressor because we though he committed a crime AND we had a reasonable fear that he'd do us seriously bodily harm because.....umm....he attacked us (even though we were armed and he wasn't). This is a jury question. If it gets this far, then who knows what a jury does with this.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I haven't paid close attention to this case but who actually charged and arrested the two guys? Was it the local cops or the state of Georgia? I could see them wanting this trial held locally and not in Atlanta.

[iam416]

I mean, it's probably the police with jurisdiction. That's the way it works.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Yeah I was just confused in hearing that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or whatever was involved. Didn't know if that meant they were taken to Atlanta but I just read that they're in the county jail.

[Whitley]

In other news, the Tara Reade story just keeps on giving and giving and giving. Diane Feinstein. Oh boy. Yes, Diane Feinstein. Champion of the Blasey-Ford. Diane Feinstein. She thinks Reade is a goddamn liar because, amongst other reasons, she waited so long to come forward. You literally can't make this shit up. I mean -- YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS UP.

I wonder what all the Blasey-Ford fanboys on this thread think. They seem remarkably silent. Which is, of course, consistent with the way the Ds/Progs are approaching Reade.

SO. FUCKING. GOOD.

I don't know if you would call me a fanboy, but with Blasey-Ford (and all women that make this allegation) given how they get savaged by the opposition depending on who they are accusing. I think this shows how much of a hypocrites a lot of the Dems are on this issue. There needs to be a good investigation into this with the understanding that there is nothing that is going to be proven either way 100% with the other. I do find Reade much more credible than Professor Ford. I think the Dems should take a good long hard look at Biden to see if they really want to nominate him (spoilers: they will). I find it likely that if this was a normal primary without the pandemic then this news would have sunk the Biden campaign.

Do I expect the Dems to do anything about it? Nope. I suspect they will nominate him and make the argument that Trump is too great a threat (and that is a legit argument to make). And then not care if Biden wins or loses. If he loses then it will be somebody's fault because there is no way that the establishment centrist Dems could ever nominate a bad candidate. It must be the voters fault.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Heh, I almost posted that Economist cover story, Jeff, about the weird disconnect between the stock market and the real economy. We're at the point where the DOW will jump 600 points on news that unemployment "only" went up by 3.1 million people instead of an "expected" 3.3 million because that's good news!!

Something I've been hearing brought up on CNBC a lot recently...the DJIA is made up of 30 huge corporations. The S&P 500 is much broader than that (obviously) but those are still, by and large, very large corporations. A lot of analysts have been pointing out that when you look at the stocks of small to mid-sized companies that aren't a part of either index, those stocks have been performing terribly on the whole. Investors are fleeing those and throwing money into well-known,mega-corps instead.

Quick comment on meat supplies...I went to McDonald's at lunch today and besides the fact that they stopped doing breakfast all day, I noticed that they only had 7 "value meals". I think it's normally more like 12 or 14? They haven't had any sort of grilled chicken item for weeks.

To this point, one of the legitimate concerns regarding the national and global economy as we emerge from COVID is the concentration of major players - the survivors - within multiple economic sectors. These survivors - most likely the huge corporations with global reach - are going to inappropriately influence prices in direction that is harmful.

You combine this with (1) a lack of interest, actually fear, of making new investments, new products or underwriting little guys who make a lot of the new stuff with (2) the loss of jobs that never return in those little guys that failed due to COVID and (3) a move by the big guys to more automation. Taken as a whole these factor predict one moribund economy. And, its a shitty economy that last for a long time driven by unemployed consumers who have no money or if they are employed and making money they're saving it....... just more to the dismal depression level economic outlook going forward that is, IMO and on balance, a bigger concern than SARS-COV-2.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Pence was supposed to fly to Iowa today but his flight was delayed an hour because one of his staffers tested positive. Several others deboarded the plane instead of making the trip. Maybe people that had close contact with this person? Dunno. The VP has an office in the White House but other places as well, so it's possible this person is never in the WH. But if they are that's 2 people inside the White House on a regular basis testing positive within 48 hours. Not good.

On the other hand it's very possible a lot of the people there already had it and have immunity. Who knows.

[iam416]

I don't know if you would call me a fanboy, but with Blasey-Ford (and all women that make this allegation) given how they get savaged by the opposition depending on who they are accusing. I think this shows how much of a hypocrites a lot of the Dems are on this issue. There needs to be a good investigation into this with the understanding that there is nothing that is going to be proven either way 100% with the other. I do find Reade much more credible than Professor Ford. I think the Dems should take a good long hard look at Biden to see if they really want to nominate him (spoilers: they will). I find it likely that if this was a normal primary without the pandemic then this news would have sunk the Biden campaign.

Do I expect the Dems to do anything about it? Nope. I suspect they will nominate him and make the argument that Trump is too great a threat (and that is a legit argument to make). And then not care if Biden wins or loses. If he loses then it will be somebody's fault because there is no way that the establishment centrist Dems could ever nominate a bad candidate. It must be the voters fault.

Thanks for posting, Whitley. Personally, I don't particularly believe either. It's very hard for me to believe stories that are so after-the-fact and so obviously tinged with political motivation. I actually don't think Biden should get the Kavanaugh treatment. I thought and think that it was preposterous. But, I will revel in the Ds hypocrisy much in the same way, say, DSL may revel any number of R reversals.

As for what it means for Biden -- I think you're right -- as long as Covid marches on and and as long as PDJT is the opponent, this story won't really change much.

[Hannibal]

Speaking of news stories that would be huge in any other year, apparently Bay of Pigs 2.0 happened and nobody cares?