Saturday Open Thread - 2/21/26: Odds and Ends
Good morning, good people!
Lots of experiences in court this week exemplifying the chances to the Family Code and Penal Code, which pushes for co-parenting when the parents are no longer in the same household. Two different counties, two different judges, showing deference to the Code despite evidence. One guy admitted under oath that he was a lifetime registered sex offender who continuously raped his little brother, served 8 years in prison, nonetheless was given visitation with his kids, while under investigation for having sexually assaulted his 13 yr old daughter. He complained that his wife did drugs for 12 years, but admitted he supplied her. Father of the year!
Then, the schizophrenic/ bipolar Mom with a history of suicide ideation, violence, arrests, institutionalization, currently on felony probation for attacking her 80 yr old step-dad, got weekend visitation with her 5 yr old daughter without supervision. She actually testified that what keeps her from murder/suicide is contact with her daughter to do her hair, nails, and go play at the park.
For fun, how about this:
And this:
This in an open thread, open to all topics anyone wishes to share with their friends.
Let'er rip!
Comments
Good morning, good friends!
Hopefully, this ot comes to you all before bombs drop.
All of us are busy, distracted, and not informed of everything we need to know, so I hope you friends feel a need to spread the info you find to the rest of us.
Go for it!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hey, good morning
.
From the inside-out files --
The supremes declared the global tariffs imposed
by the trumpet regime to be unconstitutional So what
does donnie boy do? He signs another global tariff.
Impeachable offense? You decide. It rates right down there
witgh sanctioning countries that do business with sanctioned
countries. Can't compete? Economic warfare then.
Thanks for the OT otc!
Zionism is a social disease
Good morning...
A small shower this morning before trade day. A cool 50F stroll around the grounds. Bought a nice handmade wooden spoon for $1, but nothing else. Pretty thin today, but still nice to visit my buddies, and get in a stroll.
Also did a grocery shop. Bought a $5 (6 lb) chicken that is already in the instant pot on its way to becoming soup. We're due some 20's Monday and Tuesday, and figured soup would be warming. It is almost spring which means wild weather swings. Headed to the 70's by the the end of the week.
I figure the war with Iran starts next weekend, so Trumpolini can blow his horn at the state of the union on Tuesday. I think he has no idea what a disaster he will create by going forward with his unnecessary war of choice.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Thanks for the OT!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good afternoon, Cap'n!
Trump is still ordering 10% tariffs on everybody, just using a different federal law. That will pass down to We, The Consumers, the same people on the hook to repay $175 billion gained by illegal tariffs.
Prices will never go back down to pre-tariff prices.
Democrats were too busy buying and selling stocks to put up a fight.
Trump may delay his bomb dropping until he gives his Big, Beautiful, State of the Union Address on Tuesday. Afterwards, let the games begin.
What a world, Cap'n!
Enjoy your day and cook up a Big, Beautiful Meal!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good afternoon, LO!
It's a damn shame we do not have a Trade's Day here.
I am jealous.
Chicken soup sounds perfect for the cold snap that's coming. We have lows in the 30s for 3 days, then it is right back into the 70s on Wednesday. No comfort food plans as of this writing. We will think of something or other.
While this occurred last year, I only read about this criminal prosecution of wrong-think in England While I disagree with Jonathan Turley on his politics, I give him a big h/t when it comes to law. When I was majoring in history back in the early 70s, the conventional view was that whatever happens in England happens here in 20 years, more or less. I think the window closes much faster now. This might be our future.
https://jonathanturley.org/2021/05/26/toxic-ideology-english-neo-nazi-gi...
*Turley is pro-Ukie War, so he didn't see the irony of England prosecuting this Nazi, while simultaneously supporting the Neo-Nazis in Ukraine. This blind eye is why I ignore Turley most of the time.
Enjoy your weekend and stay warm, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I never understood tariffs in the first place
Who keeps track of every single piece of international trade? Who writes the check, payable to whom? What about smuggling? Is it a threat to making America great again?
We are now back to Old Hickory himself, Andy Jackson, telling the Supreme Court to go fuck itself.
Whatever.
Another situation for a Big Mouth President to show off his cajones for his fans.
The civil war of 2027 is shaping up. The GOP is already telling its faithful that the insane and virulent dems will retake the Congress and impeach Trump.
And nobody should entertain for a second the Jackson/Trump theory of Presidential Power.
Buckle up your chinstraps, American people.
I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.
Good afternoon, fwf!
I can't see how tariffs could be obtained from verified shipments of goods beyond those arriving by ships. Trucks and planes can't accounted for, to my mind.
If the government got the money, why do taxpayers have to repay it?
Trump just may trigger massive civil unrest. It will depend on what his boss(es) order him to do.
Well, friend, enjoy a weekend of peace and quiet. We may soon never have that chance again.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good afternoon, otc, thanks for the OT.
Just back from farmers market, the vendors were jumping into little patches of sunshine when not actively engaged in selling their wares. Night time & early am temps just above freezing. Time to try to exercise, heh, indoors.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Hey, el!
Your weather sounds much like ours, at least for the next 3 days. Was your vacation ruined by rains, or did you get some good days?
Anyway, I hope you are back home, settled in to your routine, dear friend.
I was going to dig up some bulbs that used to be in a formed bed, but the bed has been removed. I can't come up with a place to re-plant them. Maybe I should just put them in pots.
Decisions!
Enjoy your weekend,el!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good afternoon.
Well....I'm finally settled into my new location. Located right next door to the Huron National Forest in Oscoda Michigan. One hell of a hard move in the middle of a hard winter but here I am almost 200 miles north of where I was. I'm currently renting a home and am searching daily for a place to purchase.
The town and the people are very laid back and about as friendly as you'll find anywhere. The wilderness is both breathtaking and exhilarating. There are over 438,000 acres in the national forest with hundreds of miles dedicated to small (under 50 inch width) off road vehicles. I own a Honda side by side which I intend to use heavily to haul camping gear to damn near anywhere I want and camp for free. They are also allowed on the side of almost all roads in the surrounding counties so trails are not a requirement to get to remote areas.
I don't envy your work on child custody cases. 30 years ago I went through my divorce. Even though my wife had been arrested more than once for leaving my 6 year old son in a casino arcade while she gambled, it took me almost 3 years to get full custody and get him the hell out of there. It was bad enough being a male but I also had the disadvantage of having a man hating female judge. But I won!
Weather in Michigan has been the coldest and hardest in more than 40 years. We've had some hard freezes and a few unseasonably warm thawing days. Makes for one hell of a mess.
What can I say about politics other than I don't expect it to get better. They're all captured by the oligarchs and big money. I know I'm on my own and I'm good with that.
Thank you and everybody else who contributes to this site for letting me know that I'm not alone in my thinking. It's comforting.
Take care and don't eat the yellow snow.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
Good on you to make the move
.
That would be the index finger side of the mitten.
Looks like a great area. Best of luck settling-in.
Zionism is a social disease
Good afternoon, pn!
Looks like you made a tremendous lifestyle change! So, cold weather doesn't bother you one bit, eh?
I checked out some info about Huron nat'l Forest, and other than wild fires now and then, it looks so beautiful, it's dreamy! There was one mention of "the infamous Au Sable River", but nothing about it being described that way. Don't waste much money buying a big house because you won't be in it that much! I hope you fish, ski, camp out, hike, every time the mood strikes.
My reputation as a man's lawyer for custody cases started about 30 years ago. Before then, there was simply no way to get men custody of their kids. Things sort of swinging towards the guys about that time. I had a 7 yr run of custody wins, even though they were tough cases. I rarely lose. The orders are temporary, final hearing hasn't been set. What got this case swinging back toward the insane Mom is politics. Her magic lawyer is a partner in the oldest law firm in the district, and the firm has tremendous political clout. The lawyer is rumored to be thinking about running for judge. Would the presiding judge want to get cross ways with magic lawyer? My client has good reason to worry that the judge will take his kid because of the obvious deference the judge gave to magic lawyer at trial. The people in the room looked shocked when the judge made his ruling. I am gonna pass off this case to an attorney the judge might find intimidating. I am thinking about sending him to a mediocre attorney who happens to be a black woman, a member of the biggest black church in the 3 county district. The congregants vote however she says. The parties are black, so it might be better if a black woman tears into the crazy mamma than a white woman attorney. That may sound somehow racist, but all of us in the profession have to be realistic. Even my client understands this.
Three years and lots of attorney's fees got your kid where your child needed to be, and now, he can visit you and go camping! For free! Woohoo!
Well, party loyalty or ID pol just ain't a thing on this site. 3rd party movements haven't been able to make much progress, and if someone gets a win as an indie, they wind up being bought by the same un-elected cabal. We may not know who is in charge, but we sure know who isn't.
I hope you are able to make a circle of friends with your new, friendly community!
Thanks for letting us know about your wonderful new hometown, friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Quick follow up
to the custody case. I spoke with my client this afternoon and both he and his mother noticed some winking/smirking/head nods between the judge and magic attorney the instant the attorney entered the courtroom. Magic attorney also winked and grinned at his client, who returned the gestures.
My client will get an appointment to the hire the local attorney that is in that big and influential black church. The fix will no longer be in.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Iran crisis is discussed below
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Very persuasive video, but
I don't buy it.
I'm sure they are right on the money concerning the absurdity of Trumps' fairy tale war against Iran.
It is supposed to happen today, February 22, 2026. If you go by the personality you saw on TV this week bellyaching about the Supreme Court, you will buy the idea that TRUMP is so crazy that he will talk himself into believing that the American military machine is an extension of his own personal greatness and Iran will dissolve when the Big Dawg country bites it.
Fearless forecast -- more talk tomorrow.
It will be a bad day for everyone on earth if I have to eat crow.
I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.
I would guess
the skeptics outnumber the convinced. What gives me pause is Trump missing his photo ops and delicious food in Italy at the hockey finals for a face to face in The White House to chat with the naval commander. He is easily bored, especially by details.
We shall see, my constant sign off to such a discussion, has never before been more accurate.
I hope you are right.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
CNN at 12:50 pm Pacific
Nuclear deal?
"OK, Mr. Blowhard, Sir. We agree to dismantle all the H Bombs we have in your imagination."
"That's better. Was that so hard?"
I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.
The truth
made me giggle!
Trump does have a short history of attacking his negotiating partners at the precise time they are engaged in negotiations.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Tariff Refunds Flow Like This:
• All foreign goods that cross a border to enter the US go to Customs, first.
• Custom agents attach tariff charges to the Imported goods.
• Imports are locked up until the Importer pays the tariff.
• The Importer's name is attached to the Custom record.
Once US customs are paid, the US government is no longer involved.
The goods are free to enter the US. Importers settle fees with the Distributor. Some or all of the tariff costs are passed down the distribution chain to the Consumer or end-user.
Meanwhile, the economy can be impacted in many ways. Domestic producers of similar products often raise their own prices to capture extra profits, and consumers pay the inflated costs.
In the highly unlikely event that tariffs should be revoked by the US government, the tariffs would be refunded. The Importer usually owns the Rights to a Refund.
Something you may not know:
Oval Office insiders who knew the tariffs were illegal and could be reversed by the Supreme Court, sent operatives to buy the "Right to a Refund" docs from Importers, at a steep discount. Check out this article:
The Tariff Was Always a Tax. The Refund Is a Wealth Transfer.
.
Dialectical Dispatches, my new favorite economic substack, has posted an excellent report describing this multi-billion-dollar tariff swindle and the name the Trump cabinet member who pulled it off. The US has been pushed higher on the infamous List of the World's Most Corrupt Governments.
Hey, PR!
@#I thank you for that article! It was great.
Lutnick is a piece of work, ain't he? A prime example of The Epstein Class.
It is good to know how the refund system is set up.
Nice to see how being in public office can enrich one's family.
Enjoy your weekend, friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
So glad you read it.
I've seen it all -- but this crime is so blatantly in the open ... that I had a moment of doubt. Yet, this substack is so factually precise....
I do see too many people in the US shrug, ignore it, or move on with no reaction to things that are so wrong on so many levels. People have surrendered. Dark days up ahead, I fear.
On another note, my attention was snagged by this weird AI. Touching. Sentimental. Manipulative. These days, everything is a potential psyop, in my mind.
.
Insider trading
is the stock and trade of our honest and caring politicians,(gag), friend.
AI is one minute of fun! Those dead actors looked handsome to the bitter end!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Last but not least,
Trump cancelled his trip to the Olympics to watch the hockey finals. He will be in the White House meeting with the commander of the Air Force on Sunday. We will know if war is coming at 4pm est, more or less. And after Huckabee told Tucker Carlson he thought it would be ok if Israel took land from the river to the sea, Arab countries and a few renown Arab organizations have sent him a letter denouncing the Ambassador.
The Air Force needs dark nights, and the moon will start shining Monday and endanger pilots.
This subscription email I receive from Larry Johnson might be posted somewhere on his Sonor 21 website.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hola otc. It's the oldie moldie from a very
dry ECFL checking in. Yeah, we're back in droughtsville with brush fires starting up. Ain't climate change (crisis) grand?
Man, you deserve a medal for handling divorce/family custody cases. My CIL's life partner went through the wars to get custody of his 3 kids. Ex-wife was a dope addict who just happened to work for the DEA. He's a great guy, smart, and loves his family dearly. He won full custody, and this was in TN, BTW. Now, all 3 kids are grown and very successful. 
I'm very fond of him, and glad my CIL met him. They are a very happy pair. Have a TX political question for you and JtC. What's with the Crockett-Talarico race? I'm not the only progressive, poltically alive, Floridian watching and wishing we could get something similar in our poor old state. Skipping the Sh@t-Of-The-Union. If Maggot and fellow fascist ghouls go after Iran, their pal Netanyaboob and his country will be history. Iran has fangs and allies, and will fight back. Anywho, you both stay safe! Rec'd!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
That's a happy child custody
story, obf! I should add that my client's son by another woman just graduated high school and is headed to Tx A & M on a scholarship.
I guess my best moments are when some g'parent brings in their son or daughter for a custody fight, and asks me to do to their opposition what I did to them when they were my opposition.
I believe Crockett is slightly ahead in the polls, and can say she is a good example of ID Pol outliving it's usefulness. I have to vote in the Republican primary because there are exactly 2 unopposed Ds on the ballot in my county. There are 2 Rs running for county judge, 2 Rs running for District Attorney, 2 Rs running for Justice of the Peace in my precinct, and 2 Rs running for district judge. No Ds are running. Those 4 offices are my main work environment, so party politics be damned. If Talarico wins the primary, I will happily for for him in the general election. I have no voted so far when Crockett is on the ballot.
The state of our economy and the possibility of a crash is worrisome not only for costs of necessities of life, but availability of doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance companies. JtC is 8 radiation zaps from conclusion, and a few months away from surgery. Hey, it's kind of like being a Gazan...
Always nice to see you, friend, and don't rub it in that I do not have to say, "Stay warm!"
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981