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Weekend Open Thread

by Hondo••76

Busy as hell the past couple of weeks, and will likely be busy for a couple more. But I was able to find the time for this somewhat unusual WOT. Enjoy.

. . .

Well, it looks like the Mueller investigation finally uncovered some bona fide wrongdoing on the behalf of Russian interests. We in fact appear to have prominent US citizens – e.g., high-level political “movers and shakers”, and former Presidential confidantes – who were acting to further Russian-backed interests!

But I’d also guess that those from the “Orange Man Bad!” crowd won’t exactly be pleased.

Why? Because the individual indicted yesterday for working to further Russian interests was indeed a former high-level Presidential Appointee, and key Presidential advisor. But it wasn’t someone from the Trump Administration.

Rather, it was Gregory B. Craig – former White House Counsel to Trump’s predecessor, as well as a former official and confidante in the Clintoon Administration – who was indicted yesterday. Turns out Craig was working to further Russian-backed interests.

Specifically, Craig was hired by the government of the Russian-backed former president of the Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to write an “investigative report” whitewashing the persecution of Ukrainian dissident Yulia Tymoshenko by the Yanukovych regime. The “investigative report” Craig co-authored provided fig-leaf “justification” for her persecution; it was used to improve the international standing and prestige of the Yanukovych regime.

Craig did this – while actively avoiding legally-mandatory registration as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA). (FARA registration would have made Craig’s activities public.) And to justify his non-registration under FARA, Craig lied to both Mueller’s and the DOJ’s National Security Division’s FARA Registration Unit investigators about his work.

Fox News has an article giving more details about both Craig’s assistance to the Y-P (Yanukovych-Putin) Comrades and his indictment. The article’s a bit involved, but it’s also readable – and IMO is quite ironic. Mueller’s “Forever Investigation” has now snared, indirectly, a prominent former member of the Obama Administration for acting as an undeclared foreign agent supporting Russian-backed interests.

Facts, they’re such pesky things!

It also appears that Mueller “farmed out” the Craig case within DoJ vice investigating it himself (like he did Mantafort’s activities on behalf of the Ukraine, investigation of which uncovered the misconduct leading to the Craig case). I’d personally love to know why Mueller considered Mantafort worthy of his attention – but not Craig.

. . .

OK, that’s all for today. Enjoy the WOT, everyone. And remember: “Be careful out there.”

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76 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread”

    1. Congrats Skyjumper! You will reign supreme over all of us Dickweeds for the week! We await your orders oh exhaulted one?
      I hope you all have a great weekend and find a poser to beat the hell out of just for fun!!
      Take care all,
      Willy

      1. Thanks Willy.

        Orders?? Ah hell, drinks all around!!

        BTW Willy, hope all is well with you.

    2. At least it’s not another lowlife leg lording it over us this week.

      ‘grats, Sky!

  6. DAMN! Pass the crown to my Brother Skyjumper. Congratulations on a job well done! Airborne …ALL THE WAY!!!! Go Army…we did beat NAVY!

    1. Go Airborne Infantry, beat Artillery!! (grin)

      Damn close one….four 1st’s at almost the same time.

          1. You got it, Ex-PH2!

            When your porcelain princess has a blockage, simply place the plungy end of the barrel over the small toilet drain hole, push to ensure good sealage and then squeeze off a round!

            Your bowl will now drain water like never before!! (grin)

            (For use by professionals only)

  8. Too busy to care about placements, and anyway, I live in a different Universe from yours.

    But this, from Hodno: “…it was Gregory B. Craig – former White House Counsel to Trump’s predecessor, as well as a former official and confidante in the Clintoon Administration…”

    So do I understand it correctly that there WAS a sort of – well, crossing the bar, if you will – between the Russians (& Ukrainians) but it was in two PRIOR administrations? Would that be an accurate guess on my part?

    Don’t toy with me, Hondo.

    1. No. Craig apparently was working for the Russia-supported Ukranian regime headed by Yanukovych, but after he left his position as White House Counsel. He left that position in Jan 2011; he was working for the Ukranians in 2012. What got him in trouble was (1) failing to register under FARA, and (2) baldfaced lying about his activities on behalf of the Ukraine in order to avoid FARA registration when questioned by both Mueller’s and DoJ’s FARA investigators about those activities.

      I’ve seen nothing to suggest Craig was working on behalf of the Russians/Russian interests when he was working in the Clintoon administration (he headed Slick Willie’s defense team when Willie was impeached for lying about his post-intern-diddling cigar smoking adventures), or while he worked on either the Kerry or Obama campaigns in 2004 and 2008, respectively. But given how closely the Clintoon “Foundation” worked with Russia before and during Hillary’s tenure as SecState, his being on Russia’s payroll around that time also wouldn’t shock me either.

      1. Being that close to the Clintoons and having some dirty laundry come out,, he’s lucky he didn’t get “suicided”

      2. Craig’s firm was paid 4.6 million clams for that report. That’s a lot of clams. English Composition pays…that’s what I told my kids.

      3. And also, I wonder if there is a tax evasion charge lurking in there somewhere. Apparently, Ukraine had reported the they paid $12,000 for the report. $12,000 stands out to me because that is suspiciously close to the upper threshold regarding “gifts”. I don’t know…it just seems odd.

    1. I am surprised he didn’t come back with

      “I keep an eye out for terrorists.”

    3. I was going to comment on that. The brainless twit from NYC let’s out another blast and Ben says “hold my beer while I answer this one”.

  10. Hey, Can someone “unmoderate” my comment in the Frotz Gerlach thread? Maybe I typo’d my e-mail address but we’re waiting to drop the The Continent of Insults®™ and I had to make a technical ruling.
    Thanks

  11. Present!
    Busy getting the bunker in order. This week’s task is expansion of electronic devices, the requisite batteries and the EMP protection of the same.
    Gotta love the Canadian ammo can, very handy for old laptops.
    Stay frosty my friends.

  15. Present! It’s a beautiful 60 degrees at D’s Cantina, awaiting the official start of the weekend!

  16. Looks like the Navy war crime case is getting even crazier.I just read the morning brief,It would seem the Navy does’t know the meaning of the word repository Yes this is morning in my world

  17. It looks like Trump is trolling advocates for illegal aliens, by saying he may release illegals exclusively in sanctuary cities.

    The left is having a cow. Why? We are told illegals do no harm, pay taxes, grow America, etc. They should be welcoming this.

    Unless they don’t actually believe what they say.

    Unless illegals for the most part really are more burden then benefit.

    Unless they are basically lying about illegal immigration.

    Which would explain the “oh no you won’t!”

    Do -please- Mr Trump, -please- throw the illegals in them thar sanctuary briar patches!

    Popcorn anyone?

    1. Another brilliant move by the POTUS to expose the Democrats for the hypocrites they are.

    2. It gets better every day, President Trump is playing multi level Chess while his opposition is doing beginner Checkers!

  18. Hondo, I am sympathetic – busy as hell here too. It’s a vacation day for me and I have done more work around the house than I do at my office. So I missed the coveted First by three hours or so.

    As penance, here’s this week’s trivia column, which has (at the end) the answers to last week’s April Fool’s game. Hope you all have a great weekend!

    DID YOU KNOW…?
    Which non-royal head of state had the longest personal title ever used?
    By Commissioner Wretched

    It’s here! It’s here! It’s finally here!

    I’m speaking of the greatest season of the year, of course.
    No, not spring … that began a couple of weeks ago.
    I mean baseball season!

    Regular readers of this column are well aware that I love baseball, and that among the 30 teams which make up the Major Leagues, there’s only one that matters to me – the Chicago Cubs.

    (Before you ask, I seldom speak of that other team in my home town, those Southsiders known as the White Sox. There; that’s my April mention of them.)

    Many people in this area of Georgia wonder why I don’t cheer more for the local guys, the Atlanta Braves. Don’t get me wrong; I like the Braves, I really do. I spent many an enjoyable day and/or night at Fulton County Stadium and later at Turner Field. The Braves have played some good baseball over the years; they have also played a lot of really bad baseball.

    And while I like the Braves and cheer them on, I only do so when they don’t play the Cubs. In those games, I bleed Cubbie blue all the way.

    I hope your favorite team does well this season … but that the Cubs do better. (Snarky, I know, but it’s my column.)

    Anyway, with the obligatory mention of baseball out of the way, let’s get to this week’s trivia, which is always a hit out of the park!

    Did you know …

    … Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), 30th president of the United States, was known as “Silent Cal”? He really earned that nickname, too. A native of Vermont, he was pretty stingy with words. His last will and testament, for example, was exactly one sentence long. (How many words does one need to leave all to one’s spouse, anyway?)

    … the man who created stop signs and other traffic rules had a secret? William Phelps Eno (1858-1945) is credited with designing stop signs, devising one-way streets, and many other traffic rules our automotive society follows. The secret he took with him was that, despite all the traffic rules he invented, he never bothered to learn to drive a car. (Those traffic jams you hear about? They’re his fault!)

    … the longest personal title ever used by a head of state who was not royalty belonged to an African dictator? Idi Amin (1925-2003) ruled the African nation of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. During that time, his official title was (take a deep breath, now): His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of all the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas, Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.” It is worth noting that his rank of field marshal and his awards of the Victorious (not Victoria) Cross, Military Cross, and Distinguished Service Order were self-awarded, as was his title of “doctor.” (There’s no word on whether the beasts and fishes agreed with his decree of himself as their “lord”; a spokesbeast hasn’t stopped laughing at the title yet.)

    … a hockey puck can move at a speed of over 100 miles per hour in a professional player’s slap shot? (Where’s Don Rickles when I need him, anyway?)

    … the longest human beard on record was 17 feet 6 inches? It was grown by Hans Langseth (1846-1927) of Norway. Mr. Langseth’s record-setting beard also cost him his life; he died of a broken neck when he tripped over the beard while he was out walking. (Look sharp, feel sharp, be sharp, and tell me mister, how are you fixed for blades? Get that jingle out of your head now.)

    … King James IV of Scotland (1473-1513) was also an amateur dentist? His Majesty paid people to allow him to practice on their teeth. (And if he couldn’t pay them, well …)

    … Texas law does not allow cars to be driven without windshield wipers? Note that the law does not require a vehicle to have a windshield; just that it has to have wipers. (Sounds like a government job to me.)

    … until the Civil War, the highest rank an officer in the U.S. Navy could reach was captain? Senior captains were called “commodores” but the title did not come with a specific rank. The first man to reach the rank of rear admiral in the Navy was David Farragut (1801-1870), and that only happened because the Navy Department demanded that its senior officers be equal with Army general officers.

    … the song “Short People,” by Randy Newman (born 1943), is actually illegal in Maryland? It is against the law for any radio station licensed in the state to play the song. (Insert your own joke here.)

    … even though Chicago is called the Windy City, it isn’t the windiest? That title belongs to Blue Hill, Massachusetts.

    … the word “furniture” originally meant “portable military equipment”? (In many households, it still does.)

    … the nest of the American goldfinch is so thick-walled that it will hold water? Sometimes in heavy rainstorms, chicks drown in their nests.

    … Central Park in New York is almost twice as big as the nation of Monaco? (Maybe so, but it’s easier to get mugged in Central Park.)

    Now … you know!

    For those who wonder, the correct answers to last week’s challenge – the three fake items – were: Kentucky trademarking its name, the city of Tarzana being named for Tarzan (it’s actually the other way around), and the origin of what we call “mobile” homes.

    2. The great thing about baseball is that you see things that you have never seen before.

      In a game between Fresno State and Cal Poly, the bases are loaded with no one out. The Cal Poly batter hits a ground ball to third. F5 steps on third and fires to F4 who steps on second base who turns and fires wide – very wide – to F3 at first.

      By the time F3 chases the ball down, he sees a runner rounding third and fires home where the runner is tagged and called out by the plate umpire.

      Fresno State celebrates the triple play and walks off the field.

      BUT WAIT! The runner tagged at home was the original R2 (who was out at 3rd.) He thought F5 had missed the base and so he was going home.

      The original BR continues running after the errant throw at first and he scores. The umpires realize something is not right and they confer for 5 minutes as there are only two out and not the three they and Fresno had thought.

      They eventually put the BR back at second with two out, but no one can remember such a play. You never know what you will see at a ballgame which is what makes the sport so great.

      video here: https://youtu.be/aDfOvGFPt5U

      1. I watched the play, and you’re right – it was one of the most bizarre plays I’d ever seen. I think the umps finally got it right, but still …
        A good throw to first makes the triple play happen anyway, but good heads-up play by the first baseman to get the ball home in time to tag the (already out) runner trying to score.

        So let it be written, so let it be said … you cannot be put out more than once in a play.

        Now, carry on.

    3. I remember Richard Prior doing a skit dressed up as Idi Amin…. he said “My name is Idi Amin Dada… that’s three A’s, two D’s and one gun”… while pulling out a handgun.

  20. Got started on that Red Dawn diorama project in my spare time. Not much to look at yet, just a halftrack chassis. It’s getting multitasked along with an A-26 airtanker (specifically the one that Richard Dreyfus flew in “Always”), a TBM airtanker (Ramona AAB’s very first tanker), and a B-17G bearing my wife’s name and pinup image. Then of course there’s house work, yard work, my job, and all that other real life crap taking up my time.

    1. TOW, make sure to take photos and post them here.

      Would look forward to seeing them.

  21. “… Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), 30th president of the United States, was known as “Silent Cal”? He really earned that nickname, too. A native of Vermont, he was pretty stingy with words. His last will and testament, for example, was exactly one sentence long. (How many words does one need to leave all to one’s spouse, anyway?)”

    My home state. Silent Cal was as a dinner and the lady next to him turned and said:
    Woman: ” I made a large bet that I could be able to make you say more than two words”
    Silent Cal: ” You Lose”

    1. I love that story! I’d have to check my (non-existent) records, but I think I used that one in the column many moons back.

  22. Ok, he made it back, finally. Eye doctor this time….and a short provision run…and dealing with the painting crew. Glad to see we FINALLY got an independent AYE and a deployment of the Continent of Insults on ol’ POS. Sorry I was getting so antsy ChipNASA, but I had been stewing over that one since last night when I got the ping from Military Phonies about his lying embellishing stealing Valor ass. You made a good shot, the BDA showed poser bling and motor sickle parts everywhere..

    Outstanding Post Hondo (not that we expected any less from you), we can only hope that this is the beginning of the unraveling of the oblowme and Bitch of Benghazi crime Syndicate. May they all rot in Hell as Satan devours their souls.

    Another fine job of trivia from CW. Always good for a chuckle and a learning experience. Tanks Mate!

    Our planned History lesson for this weekend at the Nash Farm Battlefield in Henry County has been severely curtailed by the PC Crowd that runs the County. Google Fu Southern Jubilee/Battle of Nash Farm if you want another example of gubmint stupidity.

    And since it hasn’t shown up here yet, I’ll just leave this here: A certain Be Nasty named former lawer and wanna be pile it is still maintaining minus 6 feet AGL.

  23. Here and unaccountable.

    Mrs. GB is off for the weekend, and I’ve been spending my time in the gun closet. Trying to finish setting up a scope on the squirrel gun. Getting a blackpowder rifle ready for a re-enactment (btw – a wad of waxed paper over 65g of FFg will knock the bark off an oak knot at 25′), repairing an old Wards Western Field my brother got us back in the 70’s…

    I need to do something “productive” to show her when she returns, but darn it the rain tomorrow will keep me from mowing the grass.

    Y’all be safe, y’hear?

  24. Game between Chicago White Sox and NY Yankees called because of rain.

    Final score: Chicago – 9/New York – 6

    I almost said “Cubs” for a moment there.

    2. Nope.

      I have the entire run of newspapers celebrating the Cubs first World Series + WIN since 1908. Until I left Chicago for good, I lived a mile north of Wrigley Field. I could walk down to the ball park and buy a ticket at the box office window, and once in a while I did that.

      Now, you have to plunk down your cash nearly a year ahead.

      1. I was at wrigley when Wood set the strickout record against the astros.Then I went home and thanked goodness for vcr.It was a rainy cool day.

  26. Cori LeCinda Pierce – the turd who defrauds with a dog!

    “They will eventually get it out of their systems”
    She doesn’t know us very well.

  27. This is my first lie and war story, let’s see how you guys like it.

    Back in the day I was stationed at Ft. Knox As a E-5 tank instructor for OUST Armor.

    Well about half way through we have a thing called Family Day.

    The idea was to have an Abrams and a Bradly and my beloved iron coffin the M60 point there main gun down range while doing a neutral steer.

    Well we went to spiff up our tank on the wash rack but to do this you have to unplug an interrupter sensor that prevents the main gun from hitting the rear deck.

    Well you would think 4 tank commanders would remember to plug it back in but..

    The Abrams and Bradly were flawless, and exited their vehicle with a proper salute to the crowd.

    Our main gun smashed into our rear deck and seemed like it hit it 18 times after that.

    We either slid or fell out of or track, 2 of our crew had their CVC helmets on sideways because of the impact.

    We rendered a hand salute Which I did with my left hand because I think I had a concussion.

    The Audiences still with horrified looks in their faces gave us a little half clap then we went to the club.

  28. A bit of trivia: There are sungrazer comets, which mostly whiz around the Sun and lose a lot of their gases to the heat of the corona. But occasionally, there is a comet that heads right into Sol Central and gets away with it.

    NASA has videos of them. They have to achieve escape velocity to overcome the deflection effect, which makes them normally whiz around the Sun for another long trip to the Oort Cloud.

    In the interest of pursuing unnecessary information, I calculated escape velocity for the Sun and here it is:

    Escape velocity
    618 kps X 60 secs
    37,080.00 kpmin X 60 min

    0.621371190 mile = 1 kilometer

    2,224,800.00 KPH, or in miles per hour:

    1,382,426.62351200 MPH exact escape velocity for the Sun. Or 1,382,426.62 MPH, if you want to shorten it a bit.

    But that’s the calc for our Sun, not the really, really Big Stars that have short lives and bankrupt themselves into the nova state before they’ve reached middle age.

    1. But that’s the calc for our Sun, not the really, really Big Stars that have short lives and bankrupt themselves into the nova state before they’ve reached middle age.

      On the flip side, the red dwarf stars will long outlast our sun.

      1. Red Dwarfs are “fully convective” turning over their entire mass through their cores. Larger stars have distinct cores that remain isolated, vastly limiting fuel burn. This convection allows Red Dwarfs to burn their hydrogen nearly to extinction.

        They have estimated lifespans of one to ten -trillion- years.

        Our sun is about 4.5 billion tears old, and is roughly halfway through its life as a pleasant yellow sun.

        Those little red guys are going to outlive almost everything else.

  30. Originally posted by Hondo:

    Rather, it was Gregory B. Craig — former White House Counsel to Trump’s predecessor, as well as a former official and confidante in the Clintoon Administration — who was indicted yesterday. Turns out Craig was working to further Russian-backed interests.

    Careful! This post looks like a break from the past weeks topics. People might get triggered, including someone we know!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1KEYdFOnuY

  31. ALL HANDS ON DECK!
    Jesse Ventura talking about NAM flashbacks wile filming Predator.
    Prepare to copy. OVEhttps://youtu.be/zmhMI1NNs0YR

  33. REPORT, “THE ANSWER TO AMERICA’S BORDER CRISIS”, IN THE SUNDAY 14 APRIL 2019 EDITION OF THE “DESERET NEWS” NEWSPAPER:

    https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900065516/us-border-national-emergency-immigration-crisis-president-donald-trump.html?fbclid=IwAR0bT2F-j2vqKS-_UaiOHu73rdzxCVrpnVjthf77Biev7E-KpfIv2bXgdo0
    ____________________________________________

    MY RESPONSE:

    If we aren’t willing to use massive lethal force to defend our borders, then all of our other efforts, no matter how noble or humanitarian, will be for nought.

    Of what practical benefit is positioning troops of our United States Army and United States Marine Corps along the Mexican Border if those troops are unarmed, or their weapons (if they have any) are unloaded, or if they are under orders to use no lethal force?

    Encourage the populations who live in terror from their own governments to spontaneously rise up in rebellion and overthrow the ones responsible for their unbearable conditions.

    They must take responsibility for solving the problems within their own countries, and not be fleeing to ours.

    Just as with the French Underground during the Second World War, our Special Forces teams can teach those populations how to clandestinely manufacture their own arsenal of cheap 9mm STEN guns and hand grenades in abundance.

  34. Missed you guys. Hectic as hell at the train store and haven’t even had a chance to lurk.
    I bought a horse.

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