First, the thermometer has now been updated (twice!) because of an influx of donations. Woo hoo! We may hit our goal earlier than we ever have, if this keeps up!

:-)

Second, best comment I've heard yet on the smocking gun: "This confirms it. Our president is a focking idiot."

Heh.

Third, I'm putting together an odds-and-ends column today, so don't expect too much, but it'll have plenty of opportunity for audience participation, so there is that...

More later...

-CW

Beg more. ;)

Back to my daily " I told you so"... I sprinkle them around like fairy dust, it's a service I offer for free. I figure if the great unwashed had any spare cabbage, they'd spend it on soap, not inflicted smuggery.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/washington-post-columnist-predicts-trump-will-resign-10-minutes-before-term-ends-so-pence-can-pardon-him/ar-BBQMoJt?ocid=spartandhp

I seem to remember harping on this very notion, in the 'before time', and being politely told where to go and how to get there. Granted, it was Michale doing the telling, and therefore assigned to my 'helpful suggestions from complete dullards folder'.

I cast what remains of my mind back, I recall suggesting that Trump would weigh his odds of re-election against the universal loathing of him and his presidency prior to 2020, and resign. Also, there was something about him petulantly accusing America of not being worthy of his leadership, blaming everyone but himself for his idiocy and disappearing back up his tower, secure in his own mind that once again the universe had not seen things his way.

Trump is deteriorating before our eyes in real time, which is no revelation in and of itself, it's just happening a few months earlier than most of us predicted.

"smocking"... not once, but twice, I mean, Jesus Effing Christ.

LL&P

Cue "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Butina."

She's what is known in spy trade craft as a "Honey Trapp."

Sorry - I've been channeling Mr. Peabody all week. Mr. P. is a legend in the intelligence community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpgJzlY9y8A

cue joke about the right to arm bears.

JL

Mea culpa...

-CW

-CW

My favorite theory is we've slipped into some bizzaro world alternate reality and we haven't quite figured out how to get back again.

Or a sci-fi writer conceived of the idea, and it popped into existence because of that (see: Robert A.
Heinlein's "Number Of The Beast"...).

:-)

nypoet22 [5] -

OK, yeah, or it could be that. Good points, all.

C. R. Stucki [7] -

Well, there's many words, but "proud" sure ain't one of them!!

[9] -

Yes. Yes, he is. See his understanding of trade imbalances, where if we run a trade deficit, according to The Orange One, we're "getting ripped off" somehow.

Sigh. He really is that dumb, sad to say.

neilm [10] -

AHA! I was just going to look that info up, for tomorrow's column. I remember that contest (and getting it massively wrong), and now that the time is upon us, I thought it was time to go back and see who got closest! So thank you for providing both the data and the link!

And, of course, you are right. Even "August" is the closest guess, this far out. I will publicly award kudos tomorrow, promise! Unless Trump stirs up some sort of shitstorm that pre-empts it, of course (always a possibility, these days).

I have to compliment you on your accuracy, though -- Kelly lasted a whale of a lot longer than I ever expected!

:-)

[11] -

Damn, that is impressive! Pretty close to exactly what is happening now!

TheStig [12] -

Hoo boy. That could be a LOT longer list! How about "the designated hitter rule" just for one?

Heh.

As for the Pinto, in a former life I did software quality assurance (finding all the bugs before it was released to the public). The Pinto was a cautionary tale we'd tell to all the other departments: "The Ford Pinto shipped six months early -- ahead of schedule. But does anyone remember that now, or do they remember the one fatal bug it had?"

:-)

Mopshell [13] -

The NYT/AP calls it a flip. They put it in the "likely Dem" column, but they do credit it as a flipped seat. Dunno what list you're looking at, here's mine:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/06/us/elections/results-house-elections.html

nypoet22 [15] -

Hey, I was close... well, OK, a whole year off, but when you look at the MONTHS, I was close!

:-)

Heh.

James T Canuck [16] -

Have to compliment you on "mayhemic standards." Nice turn of phrase!

And as for donations, I promise never to stand outside a liquor store ringing a bell. That should deserve some consideration, right?

Heh.

OK, I haven't updated the thermometer in a few days, I promise I'll get on that soon...

PLEASE consider a donation, everyone, as we really need to pay the bills and keep the lights on, and we only beg once a year!

Don Harris [17] -

Around here, I usually go with "date closest, whether early or late" to avoid the Price Is Right tactic of trying to be either first place or last place in line. So neilm is still closest, by our rules...

neilm [18] -

OK, now THAT was funny!

TheStig [21] -

Nick Ayers! Hoo boy...

Now THAT was really, really funny! Well done, sirrah!

:-)

OK, that seems like a good time to wrap this up...

-CW

I found it amusing (I can look up the link if you want) to read that the GOP House committee in charge of such things is holding their first hearing in 8 yrs on raising the minimum wage. Of course, from the witnesses they've indicated, all they're doing is getting on the record all the conservative arguments AGAINST raising the minimum wage, but you're right, they're going through a whole lot of last-ditch efforts aimed at assuaging the GOP voter base right about now...

-CW

I don't think McCarthy is promoting a very promising strategy. There may be no smoking gun yet, but there is an awful lot of smoke pouring out of the gun room or possiblly the powder magazines. Still, you work with the tools you have and are familiar with.