The Question and the Answer (Impeachment subsection)

The Question:

Yovanovitch: The President had a right to withdraw me, but was it necessary to smear my reputation? 

The Answer:

'nuf said 

Geography Div ( Is anyone learning? subsection)

A couple of weeks I showed the growth in the US Prison population. Would it surprise anyone to know that the number of students living on campus only marginally exceeds the number of adults in prison ??

Stupidity Div. (Criminality subsection)

The Austin Bomber made a huge mistake. Why would anyone under investigation and subject of a massive police manhunt go anywhere near Round Rock, Texas?
It's the home of one of the most famous donut shops in the country -- and everyone knows about donut shops and cops, eh?

The Occasional Mid-Week Molly

"I am not anti-gun.

I'm pro-knife. Consider the merits of the knife. In the first place, you have to catch up with someone in order to stab him. A general substitution of knives for guns would promote physical fitness. We'd turn into a whole nation of great runners. Plus, knives don't ricochet. And people are seldom killed while cleaning their knives." 

-----   Molly Ivins   -----

Geography Div (Lock 'em up subsection)

Sadly, we need this ???

Alice in Wonderland Div ** (Oh sh**t, not again subsection)

Donald of Orange today stated that "... the President can't have a conflict of interest."

Just what does that mean ?? .... Can't ?
Normally, it's defined as, " ... a contraction, .... can not."
OK, let's see here, .....

"Can" .............

auxiliary verb, present singular 1stperson can, 2nd can or (Archaic) canst, 3rdcan, present plural can; past singular 1stperson could, 2nd could or (Archaic) couldst,3rd could, past plural could.

1.

to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to:

She can solve the problem easily, I'm sure.

2.

to know how to:

He can play chess, although he's not particularlygood at it.

3.

to have the power or means to:

A dictator can impose his will on the people.

4.

to have the right or qualifications to:

He can change whatever he wishes in the script.

5.

may; have permission to:

Can I speak to you for a moment?

I kinda like #3 - heh!

 ------------------------------------------and then, there's .........................
"Not"....... [not] 

adverb

1.

(used to express negation, denial, refusal, orprohibition):

You must not do that. It's not far from here.

OK, those are what the dictionaries say. But, how can it be argued ??  Does it mean that the President is a) "unable" to have a conflict of interest ? Or could it mean the President, b)  "may not"  (or in the future tense will not) have a conflict of interest ??
I'll leave it up to the lawyers (thank Dog I decided to give up on that profession years ago) to argue about it: but I'm voting for option "B."

Of course, Donald of Orange won't agree and has even gone so far as to invoke the ghost of Richard Nixon  ... (we know how that ended up, eh?).

No Donald, you CAN'T use the office to promote your businesses, endorsements, children or anything else related to your "business," (I guess that now means your life - get used to it). So, sell all  your shit, tell the kids to get real jobs, get on with raping the country or decide if you want to give the job to Ayatollah Mike.

Of course, I'm old enough to recall the controversy of the meaning of "is."

Oh well .......  maybe the slogan should have been MAKE AMERICA GRIFT AGAIN.

** ** 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.' Lewis Carroll - Through the Looking Glass

GOTTA GRIFT Div ( Sturgis Motorcycle Rally subsection) UPDATED

Well the 76th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is winding down. Actually, it's officially over today, but the rumble of the exhaust pipes will probably linger for another few days. The local fishwrapper always has a spread every day on rides, tattoos, and personalities of the participants. Today's article - front page, above the fold, was on this Chris Cox guy selling 'Bikers for Trump" gear.
Here's the prescient quote from the article:

                  A person working with Cox claimed the proceeds go to the Trump
                  campaign, but Cox, under questioning from a reporter, acknowledged 
                  that the money goes into his own pocket.

Take a look at the whole article. I'm sure the Great Republican Grifter er, Candidate would be proud.

UPDATE: In my haste to get this on-line, I left out the best part:

Cox does lack one potentially important qualification for a biker lobbyist, which was awkwardly revealed when he was asked about his "ride" for a Q&A in Sturgis Rider Daily, a co-publication of the Journal and the Buffalo Chip Campground.

"I don't," said Chris Cox, founder of Bikers for Trump, "have a bike right now."

                 

Some days ya gotta just wonder. Div

It's often said that the police don't catch the bad guys because the police are smart; they catch 'em because the bad guys are stupid.
Here's a guy with a lead-pipe cinch of an alibi that really blows it.

Political Access div (maybe you should write a check subsection)

"Nuf said ??

h/t Wiley, Non Sequiter

Political Corruption Div

Well, the grifting has finally caught up with one of 'em, not to mention his wife (who he threw under the bus - or was it the Ferrrari ). Bobby Mc D (r- corruption) and his wife Maureen found guilty.
Sentencing  will be 6 January - Happy New Year.
Wonder if the Feds will be able to arrange conjugal visits (or maybe they share a cell ). Considering the wonderful things they've said about each other over the past year, perhaps that would be the best punishment.
Wonder who'll get the watch ??

Elected Office / Public Service Div ..... (SODDI ** subsection)

Seems that Gov Bobby McD (R-Graft) hasn't been telling the truth, the whole truth or sumpin' but the truth about  all the wonderful stuff ($$, watches, clothes, teeth, weddings, vacations .....and the shit just goes on) that he and his family received in "friendship" from Jonnnie R. Williams, Sr. (who, more and more, is turning out to be a real piece of work).
Now Gov Bob and his legal teams plan to throw the assistant Gov (Mrs McD) under the bus seem to be unraveling.
Ain't marriage wonderful ???

** SODDI : Criminal defense ploy meaning "Some Other Dude Did It."
     guess in this case he meant "dudette,' eh ???

Blind Squirrel Div (firearms subsection)

Guess the old sayin' 'bout occasionally findin' an acorn is really true.
Got back my stolen pistol.
It  was seized during a drug bust in a neighboring county (and I was subpoenaed for the trial). The case was plead out and the evidence released.
Looks like the NCIC data base really works.
Maybe today's my lucky day and I'll win the Powerball.