Just a little pinprick.
The latest iteration of the Gathering of the Tribes is in the rear-view mirror.
Was it a success? I have no idea. We’ll have to wait for the numbers, which may prove elusive.
Yes, it’s that time of year again.
One astute observer who is not me does not recall seeing any attendance figures from last year’s Interbike, the Last Roundup in Sin City, and thus who knows? Just as in real life, we may have to judge based on anecdotal evidence instead of cold, hard facts.
Speaking of anecdotal evidence, real life, and cold, hard facts, both Charlie Pierce and Kevin Drum are goggle-eyed at the latest plot twist in “The Adventures of Brett Kavanaugh, Boy Wonder.”
If this were real real life instead of a cheapjack “Justice League” porno knockoff, Kavanaugh’s nomination would be as dead as John Holmes. But the Senate is all Jokers and no Batmen.
Meanwhile, a tip of the Rivendell cycling cap to Darren Sherkat, who was the first and only commenter to publicly recognize the lyrics from Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” which I was using for headlines on this year’s Interbike posts. Hope you enjoyed ’em.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.
Tags: Brett Kavanaugh, Charles P. Pierce, Comfortably Numb, Interbike, Interbike 2018, Interbike Marketweek Reno-Tahoe Powered by Northstar California Resort, Justice League, Kevin Drum, Pink Floyd, The Supremes
Mad Blog Media 
September 21, 2018 at 9:34 am |
Frankly, Patrick, I think one can predict with 95% confidence limits what one thinks about the Kavanaugh v. Ford issue based on a person’s politics.
Call me jaded, but my wife and I were once dragged into Federal court as witnesses in a trial based on a “credible” scenerio that fell apart like a house of cards in front of a Federal jury. That accusation, deemed credible at the U of Hawaii based on prevailing university politics and the recognition that indeed, people are often assholes, was wrong in that case. It does sound like that little private rich kid’s school was an Animal House, but that is guilt by association rather than guilt by facts of the accusation.
So I think Ford and Kavanaugh need to both testify before the committee, without all the preconditions. Now that this has degenerated into a shit flinging contest, we need to see who comes out with the most shit on them, as in the Monty Python skit.
This is probably always going to be a he said/she said deal lest some other information be revealed. I wish there had been smart phones in those days. Or a fly on the wall. But we are stuck with this ambiguity. Lest we have one of those Perry Mason moments in the Senate, when the bad guy breaks down on the stand, I think this is going to be another case of everyone going home angry.
September 21, 2018 at 9:22 pm |
There was a witness/participant in the room.
September 21, 2018 at 10:22 am |
Woo hoo! What can I say, I used to do a lot of acid.
September 21, 2018 at 1:06 pm |
Me too. It wasn’t a proper party unless the furniture was dancing along with you.
September 22, 2018 at 2:23 am |
Good morning Sherkat. Would you happen to work at SIU Carbondale?
September 21, 2018 at 10:50 am |
We all know he will get confirmed, so I wish they would just get on with it. Guy was in the white house when torture, kidnapping, unconstitutional surveillance of US citizens, assassination by drone, and imprisoning people out of the court’s reach at GITMO was common practice and policy. That is enough to deep six this nomination. But that doesn’t get clicks like sex does. “I don’t find this stuff amusing anymore.” But, please don’t call me Al. As in “Al Nino.”
September 21, 2018 at 11:04 am |
The deeper problem is not whether (or not) a 17 yr old was an asshole. Its that the damn Democrats keep becoming a 2 coast party and losing elections, politics keeps becoming more polarized, and we get stuck with whoever The Orange Turd nominates and the GOP confirms. With a lifetime appointment, that means the Court will be hard right rudder for a generation. But we get the government we deserve.
With tribalism growing rather than receding in intensity, I don’t see a solution. Other than hoping for that next 10 km asteroid hitting.
As far as assassination by drone and jailing whistleblowers, my guy was as guilty of that as the other side’s guy. Sigh. I guess the ends do justify the means.
September 21, 2018 at 1:04 pm |
The problem is not whether a 17-year-old was an asshole, but whether his adult self still is. I’d say he is, based on what I’ve read.
And as Larry rightly notes, what’s the rush? I don’t see a deadline for concluding this charade anywhere in the Constitution, and The Turtle sure as shit didn’t see one when Garland was on deck.
So fuck these guys, face down, in the mud, with a big, red, rubber dick. Given the present circumstances I could live with an eight-justice court for the better part of quite some time.
September 21, 2018 at 1:21 pm |
The answer to your “what’s the rush” question is that the GOPpers are worried about losing their Senate majority in November when that predicted Blue Wave kicks their asses and they want to cement a Conservative majority on the court. By any means neccesary, as Malcolm X might say.
As I said, the Donks better fucking well start winning some elections; we can’t expect balance when the GOP owns all three branches of government. This is all politics and as you say, I’d rather give them the rubber dick once in a while rather than be pulling it out of my own ass indefinitely.
Recall that mantra from our missspent youth: Dick Nixon before he dicks you. And I didn’t think politics could get more toxic than 1968.
September 21, 2018 at 2:11 pm |
“A headlong jump to a pre-determined conclusion” is exactly how he will get confirmed. It will be just like the tax cut, the new military budget, immigration crack down, and the affordable care act. Rammed through, without critical thought or debate, by a partisan majority vote. The only power that we have to fight the corruption and big money that controls congress is the vote. Dollars to donuts that the turn out is less than 40%, much less, even in Texas. BOHICA. Have I given up? Damn near.
September 21, 2018 at 2:11 pm |
My point exactly. There is no rush save that one, which is specious. So, sand in the gearbox, pump in the spokes, spanner upside the top hat, whatever works.
Also, winning elections is nice. Having a candidate whose primary qualification isn’t “But it’s my turn now!” is even nicer, especially when it works, as we were reminded last time around.
September 21, 2018 at 4:10 pm |
We’ll stick around to cast what might be our last vote in-person before we jet off to the other side of the pond..that is if we haven’t somehow been purged from the rolls!
With the amount of crap I shove at Steve “Fascist” King, Joni “Hogballer” Ernst and “Cranky old grandpa and political hack” Grassely I’m kind of surprised I haven’t been blackballed or had some right-wing thugs show up at my door!
September 23, 2018 at 5:25 am |
Yikes that’s quite a disturbing visual there Patrick. Don’t give conservatives any more ideas. We know they love mud. They spend so much time in it they must. Or is it another substance that has an odor they are drawn to?
September 23, 2018 at 5:58 am |
“Can’t fool me. Shoot is nothing but shit with two o’s in it.”
September 21, 2018 at 12:07 pm |
An allegation is only an allegation until there is some proof; but there does seem to be background that supports Fords claims. She should be granted adequate time to gather her evidence and present it along with any witnesses.
She has stated that she has received death threats, and I don’t doubt that these days. She wisely has moved her family to an undisclosed location.
The Senate grilling will be painful to watch.
September 21, 2018 at 12:49 pm |
I cared about Pink Floyd only for “Dark Side of the Moon” which was the only good album they ever made, before or after.
As to the Pussy-grabber-in-chief’s SCOTUS choice, should this be any surprise? I’m not so sure this guy should be dumped because of what kind of sexist ass he might have been in high school but the rest of his career says to me he’s just a right-wing partisan hack in a judges robe and has no biz up with the Supremes in the first place. What I keep asking (even trying to visit Chuckles Grassely’s website which was conveniently down for maintenance!) is what is the freakin; hurry? These same guys were content to leave a seat open for how long before they were able to shove Gorsuch in? Filling the seat right away didn’t seem so important not that long ago so unless you’re a raving right-wing partisan, what is the rush?.
I’ll be interested to hear what my industry friends have to say once they’re back from Interbike 2018. From what I’ve seen on the intertoobz I didn’t miss much… other than the best part – seeing my Italian bike biz friends….which is always good no matter where we are.
September 21, 2018 at 4:10 pm |
Aw c’mon Larry! Atom Heart Mother! Something tells me you didn’t burn a few back in the day and crank that vinyl up. I just listened to it straight up last week and it was of course totally different from DSOTM. But a seminal piece of music history.
September 21, 2018 at 5:57 pm |
Nope, sorry. When Dark Side of the Moon came out I loved it and then bought albums they made before (and after when they came out) and hated ’em all.
Sometimes these creative folks say/sing/write all they have that’s good in one record/book/speech. Steve Tesich’ Breaking Away was another example as was Frances Mayes “Under the Tuscan Sun”
As to burning anything, my mother smoked cigarettes and my father cigars – I inhaled enough crap in my youth that I never had the slightest urge to add more to it, no matter what the claims were about the effects.
September 21, 2018 at 4:55 pm |
Natcho, I just had to crank up DSOTM for TGIF.
September 21, 2018 at 6:43 pm |
I got it at “there is no pain, you are receding”. Saw a fabulous stadium show in Milwaukee back in the day (I hate that term, but it works here). The giant inflatable pig that entered the venue from behind the stands in left center is a great image to remember. See you on the dark sile os the moon……
September 21, 2018 at 6:48 pm |
Goddamn! Gotta friggin proofread everything. “dark side of the moon” Tablet typing with fingers that resemble my big toes. Not much of an excuse…….