Author: condor

In Which Paul Mirengoff Needs… An Objective Reality Filter.

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Again, I get it. He’s… traumatized. Who wouldn’t be?

But this central argument: we must obliterate all Gazans who are not Jewish… is (aside from being abominable) not even realistically achievable.

So give it a rest Paul. Yes. Bibi will have to pay for (and build) all his own armaments if he persists past year end. That is the clear message coming from the US, and NATO more broadly. [The EU economies if polled separately are already beyond being willing to let more time slip by, without a pretty permanent cease-fire, and land for peace deal.]

So, Paul’s advice is… fundamentally unsound. But it is compounded by his PTSD.

He argues that the last war we clearly won was WW II. He’s not wrong about that. But he says… WW II style obliteration is the only “good model” for winning wars, now.

After 75 years… or 7,500 of them, I think we can safely say… there is no good model.

The only way to win “WAR GAME”… is not to play, at all.

That is the object lesson of Hiroshima — and Oppenheimer. Everyone lost — humanity lost, on those two days. On 9/11, everyone lost. Humanity lost. On 10/7… same.

There is nothing but eternal darkness / blindness / and missing limbs (at best) that comes from Gaza now. Not if obliteration is the goal for Bibi and the IDF.

Hamas will re-appear, doubled — if that is Bibi’s end game.

Wake up, Paul. Please… wake up.

More Good News, In Merck / Moderna Immuno-Oncology Studies: This Time, Melanomas.

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Again, this news won’t be material for Rahway, for a few years — but it has caused a 7% pop in (much much smaller) Moderna’s stock price this morning.

It is indeed good news, for melanoma patients as well. [The figures are not unlike. . . the”cure” for Jimmy Carter’s melanoma (as we reported here, in the summer of 2015).]

But to be clear, this is technically a vaccine, given to people who have advanced melanoma. And the bio-engineered cocktail vaccine… seems to work very, very well. It is very significantly extending the lives of cancer patients, in the studies. Here’s Bloomberg on it all (but we will use our stock “immateriality” graphic — at least as to Merck’s part in this):

…A personalized vaccine developed by Merck & Co. and Moderna Inc. helped prevent the recurrence of severe skin cancer for three years in promising new results from a study.

Patients with severe melanomas who got the vaccine and Merck’s cancer drug Keytruda were 49% less likely to die or have their cancer return than those who got Keytruda alone, the companies said Thursday….

Now you know — onward to those steel and glass canyons this morning, now gleaming in a frigid sunshine.

And I must say, “Boop!” is a fun-filled, bouncy and empowering (if predictable) musical (one that takes on, and utterly transforms the sexism and misogyny embedded in the original cartoon) — even if the show’s not quite ready for the White Way, just yet. The lead, Jasmine Amy Rogers, is clearly “born to play Betty” — she’s someone to watch (belting high notes; tap-dancing up a storm and commanding all the drama — in a very soothing way) — you’ll never forget her from now on, on any stage she graces… smile.


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No Surprise — But Hinderaker [Intentionally] Misses The Central Issue Here. Again.

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This afternoon, John purports to fault Hunter Biden — for refusing to be summoned to a “Star Chamber”. [The younger Biden had never even been a recipient of any federally-funded contract, let alone given the Congress jurisdiction over his person — as John well-knows. And (for better or worse) he’s been charged formally with federal crimes — so, that gives him very clear rights. Congress-dwellers of the MAGA variety seem unable to grasp this sixth-grade level civics lesson — he cannot be compelled to testify.]

That’s the central issue, Hinderaker. As John ought to recall from Con. Law., second semester — the use of secret hearings was widely frown upon, in civilized society, not long after the Inquisition. And… for 260 years, or so — we’ve held a Constitution that guarantees all private individuals charged with crimes… a PUBLIC trial, with a jury of peers, as a fact finder, and the right to fully confront witnesses against him. Again, Hunter is no elected official — should he appear, it would be solely as a courtesy. Congress cannot compel him to a secret hearing — ever. He’s said he’d be glad to humiliate them in public — but they don’t want a fair fight — ever.

As John knows, so it is all cheap theatrics, anyway — a MAGA committee of Congress-critters, cowering in a sweat box / conference room / “Star Chamber“, so that they won’t be humiliated on CSPAN, for the nation to see — when Hunter’s answers and evidence destroy them — and expose them as traitors to ordered liberty. [BTW, this secret process is something even Tangerine railed against — 2017 to 2021.]

You’ll recall, John, Tangerine never appeared at one hearing (public or private — despite documented evidence of his withholding aid to Ukraine — unless the Ukrainians would dig for “dirt” on Joe Biden — a clear felony, on Tangerine’s part) — in all of his four years. And despite being impeached, twice.

So… it is a little rich, to see you fault Hunter (who has never held any office, at any level) — a private individual, long emancipated from his father’s household, to a standard you actively opposed as to 45.

More than a lil’ rich, actually.

Just go sit down, you bitter old codger.

And shut it. Out.

Mirengoff Offers His “KKK-er’s Take” — On Harvard’s President…

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I think this merits a new graphic, for Paul — and Ringside.

Done. It will appear shortly. [In fairness, I’ll note that Scott Johnson’s writing about it… did not allege… reverse race discrimination. Is that… progress, of a sort? I dunno. But I digress. Back to it:]

Mirengoff tells us the sole reason Harvard has a Black woman president is… (wait for it!) reverse race discrimination. A claim for which there is only… the opposite of evidence. It is his baseless conjecture — and his open virulent racism… on display, in writing — yet again.

In his mind, the whole thing comes down to skin color — not the fact that she was far more nuanced in her remarks before the Congressional Kangaroo Court, on Speech Codes and Gaza.

He is one malign, mediocre, embittered old whyte chucklehead. And yes, his Jewish faith in no manner removes him from that classification: he’s KKK-er / shiny whyte. Her it is — in context:

…But if Harvard’s extraordinary financial health wasn’t sufficient to ensure Gay’s retention, I think we can assume her race was. Gay is black; Magill’s white. On American college campuses, that makes a huge difference.

In fact, Gay’s race was probably the reason Harvard selected her in the first place. Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager and major donor to Harvard, wrote on X, “I have confirmed now from multiple sources that the search committee that led to President Gay’s appointment excluded non-DEI eligible candidates from the process.”

After today, Gay isn’t just a DEI hire. She’s also a DEI non-fire….

I think — as we say in the law… the thing speaks… for itself.

And, he certainly is… a “thing“: he’s earned his white hood and robes, with the red teardrop embroidered on the sleeve.

Let him wear them, henceforth — in shame.

Damn Paul — was chasing Ackman’s donation worth selling… your soul?

[U] Danco Labs Mifepristone Case Will Be Decided Next Summer — In The Thick Of The 2024 Election Cycle… But The Odds Are Good That Matthew Kacsmaryk’s Loony Opinion Gets Dumped.

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Amy Howe — at the SCOTUS Blog has an excellent rundown up, overnight. [My earlier backgrounder, here.]

And she is right — there is some clear tea reading available in the Supremes’ twin grants. The Supremes feel the trial court and the Fifth Circuit both needed a clear statement that the FDA approval, from the year 2000 — cannot be at this point a basis for challenge in 2023. And, I think it clear that the Court is in favor of wide availability for drugs that show smaller side effect profiles that Tylenol, and offer women choices — over their own bodies and lives — along with the close (and intensely private) consultations… of their doctors. In sum, I think the trial court will be completely… overturned. Here’s the SCOTUS Blog on it all:

…The Biden administration and the drug manufacturer Danco came to the Supreme Court this spring, asking the justices to intervene to maintain the status quo until the dispute is resolved. The justices granted that request, allowing the drug to remain widely available for now.

The Biden administration and Danco came to the Supreme Court in September, asking the justices to weigh in on the propriety of the FDA’s decisions in 2016 and 2021 to make mifepristone more widely available, as well as whether the challengers have a legal right to bring their case at all. The doctors and medical groups asked the justices to take up their challenge to the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone in 2000 – both its timeliness and the propriety of the decision itself.

In a brief order, the justices granted review of both the Biden administration’s and Danco’s appeals and indicated that they would be argued together, presumably sometime early next year.

The justices’ decision not to take up the challengers’ petition for review was the only denial of review noted on the one-page list of orders, suggesting that the justices wanted to make clear now that they would not weigh in on the FDA’s initial approval of the drug in 2000….

This set of issues — GOP states trying vainly to prevent women from making decisions about their own uterine functions, and overall health — Condor predicts, will be potent motivation — for many college educated, largely suburban women who previously would have identified as GOP… to step behind the curtain and in private… vote for choice candidates. Candidates who recognize a woman’s right to decision-making, about her own body — with her doctor. Onward.

Updated: And through pure luck, in unrelated fashion, I’ve scored a last-minute ticket tonight to “Boop!” at the CIBC Theatre. Should be… hilarious.

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Hinderaker: Major Narcissist Edition

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Late night tonight, John complains about a traffic jam in Minneapolis. Yawn.

One he didn’t get stuck in (on account of he was still in Florida — at one of those hard right confabs).

But because the jam was a protest along the lines of those we’ve seen here in the City of Big Shoulders (pro-Palestine), he’s burping about it.

Whatever you vain old coot.

But he goes on to say “Jews don’t protest such things.” Again, a universal statement that is provably false.

I am not bugged by it, but in real time, we reported on Jewish groups shutting the main train station to the wealthy northern suburbs here, to seek a cease fire.

In fact, John, I support both: the right to protest is fundamental to ordered liberty.

And Hinderaker is apparently growing too fragile in his dotage to endure… these slight jostlings — of his daily routines.

Even when he’s not even there.

Hilarious!

Hinderaker Bleats Again — About The Largely Non-Existent “Problem” Of Voter Fraud. YAWN.

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This time, he says people self-reporting what they “think” might be happening… as opposed to data, on what ACTUALLY happened… is Hinderaker’s stock in trade — his evidence of widespread vote fraud..

This is… in a word… pathetic. First, the poll is from Rasmussen, an outfit known to oversample GOP households, and report them as “independent”. Second, the entire case relies on people saying, in essence… “yeah, I think it happens.” Not even… “I’ve seen someone do it.”

Finally, and as my legacy graphic at right indicates, when — in each of the last four cycles — we get actual data… it confirms the problem is vanishingly small.

Shut it, John. Just shut it.

Hilarious! Billings-Puss Thinks A Paper That Refutes — On Science — A Sham Pseudo-Science Attempt To End Lockdowns… Is… CENSORSHIP?!

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Boys, its been over three years now.

And see — how the “marketplace of ideas” works here in America… is we encourage SCIENTIFIC debate. Even challenging debates, when based on real data.

Disagreement in these matters is… common. It is healthy. It is the way life sciences advance, without serious doubt.

But in epidemiology, the spreading of baseless and dangerous claims (DURING a pandemic, about drinking bleach or taking a bovine de-wormer — or colloidal silver potions!) — ones that ended up needlessly killing around 200,000 people in the US — before the real science took hold… ought to be… frowned upon.

And so Dr. Fauci, FDA, the NIH and CMS and HHS all put out wide-spread fact checks, and correcting pamphlets — all to ultimately save low-information / elderly folks’ lives.

The notion that the Powerline boys ludicrously equate this with “censorship“… is churlish beyond any serious argument.

In fact, it was Lloyd’s co-author, John Hinderaker, who throughout the Summer of 2020, kept saying that the fatalities were mostly over, at 20,000 people. He was wrong by a factor of 20X, when the real studies were tallied.

He was telling people to go out, maskless, and spend money in bars and restaurants, to keep his capitalism dreams alive. [HE personally wanted to eat nice dinners out — but few restaurants were doing sit-down dining.]

Telling him to shut his non-medically trained, narcissistic mouth… was no censorship. He was drowned-out, in the marketplace of ideas, by real facts.

These bitter old codgers regularly beclown themselves, now — but their readership is truly of what was once called… the “shop class track” now, so they get away with it, in the main. And Lloyd may be chief among these — just a few days ago, he was praising a guy from 1776 (patriarchal dead whyte dude who owned slaves, no less!) as “having the pulse” on the current, late-2023 actual practices of the Islam faith, and modern Muslims — all as a stereo-typical class. Ugh.

So stupid was that “hot take”, that Scott Johnson wrote a form of polite rebuke, yesterday — to suggest that the 1776 treatise was actually a critique of (wait for it!) Christianity — but used the phrasing “Mahomet”… over and over. Hilarious.

Scott’s utterly dubious claim is that the historians of the day could safely attack “heretical” faiths, like Islam — but critiquing Christianity… would be… a stoning offense. So (in Scott’s telling) everyone knew — just knew! — the words were meant to eviscerate Christian preachers, not Imams (like it was an elite secret code, of some sort). What a crock. And even if (or, ESPECIALLY IF!) that is true — Billings-puss in 2023 quoting it, and referring approvingly to this gross mis-characterization of modern Islam… and Muslims… is disgusting.

And, so… what a pair of putzes. Complete… putzes.

US Supremes Grant Special Counsel Cert. — Tangerine Must Defend “Absolute Immunity” Nonsense There, In Eight Elapsed Days.

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Not surprising — after all, Leon Jaworski got immediate Supremes’ review, almost 50 years ago now — in the Nixon / Watergate Tapes case. [And Nixon was still the sitting president, at the time — so his immunity claim was far stronger than Tangerine’s.]

And we all know how that turned out. He was out, like so much poop, through a goose:

…Dec. 11, 2023 — (Petition in 23-624) Motion to expedite consideration of the petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment is granted, and respondent is directed to file a response to the petition on or before 4 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, December 20, 2023….

So, too — now Jack Smith will win (as Jaworski did)… and in the process, bury Tangerine, on his preposterous theory that he is immune for life, from prosecution for the felonies he may have committed while still in office.

Buckle up, GOP — you are thinking of nominating a (by then) convicted felon?

Good luck with that.

Sad Update, On The Kentucky Case… But Plainly Reflects Why Legislatures And Courts Should Not Invade Private Doctor / Patient Discussions.

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This morning, counsel for the plaintiff in Kentucky (as we mentioned last week) let it be known that the embryo no longer has a beating heart.

The fight is over (she should never have had to air her private pain, in public — just to have a right to bodily integrity). Will the Kentucky AG agree that he has no business — in this sensitive, highly private and deep life sciences arena (of doctor/patient)? I for one am more than slightly skeptical.
Here’s the latest:

…A pregnant woman in Kentucky who filed a lawsuit demanding the right to an abortion has learned her embryo no longer has cardiac activity, her attorneys said Tuesday.

Her attorneys didn’t immediately comment on what effect the development would have on the lawsuit filed last week in a state court in Louisville. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, was seeking class-action status to include other Kentuckians who are or will become pregnant and want to have an abortion. The suit filed last week said she was about eight weeks pregnant….

Will the Kentucky AG still try, as other red state AGs have, to charge the woman, for loss of the zygote? I certainly hope not. But she’s become a political football, sadly — so who knows? This is all… awful, and ugly. Out.

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