Given the times we’re in, this may come in handy.
Wiki:
Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications.
It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organizations such as firefighters, police forces, and transportation organizations also use the term. The call is always given three times in a row (“Mayday mayday mayday”) to prevent its being mistaken for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions, and to distinguish an actual mayday call from a message about a mayday call.[…]
The “mayday” procedure word was originated in 1923, by a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. The officer, Frederick Stanley Mockford, was asked to think of a word that would indicate distress and would easily be understood by all pilots and ground staff in an emergency. Since much of the traffic at the time was between Croydon and Le Bourget Airport in Paris, he proposed the expression “mayday” from the French m’aider (‘help me’), a shortened form of venez m’aider (‘come and help me’). It is unrelated to the holiday May Day.
Before the voice call “mayday”, SOS was the Morse code equivalent of the mayday call. In 1927, the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington adopted the voice call mayday as the radiotelephone distress call in place of the SOS radiotelegraph (Morse code) call.
May be or May be not.
so before Jamie beats me to it,
BTW, the above is a 2012 celebration of Camelot’s 45th year. oh how tempus has fugit-ed.
wapo:
Democrats in Congress can move ahead with their lawsuit against President Trump alleging that his private business violates the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
The decision in Washington from U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan adopted a broad definition of the anti-corruption law and could set the stage for Democratic lawmakers to begin seeking information from the Trump Organization. The Justice Department can try to delay or block the process by asking an appeals court to intervene.
In a 48-page opinion, the judge refused the request of the president’s legal team to dismiss the case and rejected Trump’s narrow definition of emoluments, finding it “unpersuasive and inconsistent.”
The lawsuit is one of two landmark cases against Trump relying on the once-obscure emoluments clauses of the Constitution.
In a case brought in Maryland by the attorneys general of D.C. and Maryland, Justice Department lawyers representing the president have succeeded in temporarily blocking subpoenas for financial records and other documents related to Trump’s D.C. hotel.
The congressional case, brought by about 200 Democrats, extends beyond the hotel and provides a potential new avenue for investigators to gain access to a broader array of Trump’s closely held finances.
[…]
Sullivan noted that the lawsuit alleges the president — without seeking permission from Congress — has received payments for hotel rooms and events from foreign governments, as well as licensing fees paid by foreign governments for his show “The Apprentice” and intellectual property rights from China.
[Read the opinion here]
The emoluments cases, which could eventually end up at the Supreme Court, appear to mark the first time federal judges have interpreted these clauses and applied their restrictions to a sitting president. The lawsuits were early arrivals to what is now a wide range of investigations and legal battles over the president’s business interests and what information he and his family will be required to provide about them.
[continues]
and in another wapo article this morning:
At Trump golf course, undocumented employees said they were sometimes told to work extra hours without pay
[…]
Allegations that workers were routinely shortchanged on their pay at President Trump’s suburban country club are now the subject of an inquiry by the New York attorney general, whose investigators have interviewed more than two dozen former employees.
[Trump’s golf course employed undocumented workers — and then fired them amid showdown over border wall]
The inquiry could raise awkward political questions for Trump, who has made stopping illegal immigration a centerpiece of his presidency and his reelection campaign but faces allegations that his business benefited from low-paid undocumented workers.
[continues]
Patd, I should have been a Boy Scout … Always Prepared
Looking back before going forward:
Just for the trivia file, Camelot premiered on Broadway in 1960, making the show itself 59 years ago (groan).
Another college campus shooting, this time at UNC Charlotte. Two killed and four injured. I’m sure glad we don’t have a gun problem in our country.
One of the issues in the news I’m keeping an eye on is the NRA shakeup. There is something afoot there.
Jamie, looks like we might want to reconsider the roadster pick given that post 17 has never produced a winner according to this chart at sports illustrated: What Post Position Has the Most Kentucky Derby Winners?
[…]
Check out a full list of the odds for each horse in the race along with how well each position has done historically.
Gate 1 (Eight previous winners): War of Will 20–1
Gate 2 (Seven previous winners): Tax 20-1
Gate 3 (Five previous winners): By My Standards 20-1
Gate 4 (Five previous winners): Gray Magician 50–1
Gate 5 (10 previous winners): Improbable 6–1
Gate 6 (Two previous winners): Vekoma 20-1
Gate 7 (Seven previous winners): Maximum Security 10-1
Gate 8 (Eight previous winners): Tacitus 10-1
Gate 9 (Four previous winners): Plus Que Parfait 30-1
Gate 10 (Nine previous winners): Cutting Humor 30-1
Gate 11 (Two previous winners): Haikal 30-1
Gate 12 (Three previous winners): Omaha Beach 4-1
Gate 13 (Five previous winners): Code of Honor 15-1
Gate 14 (Two previous winners): Win Win Win 5-1
Gate 15 (Three previous winners): Master Fencer 50-1
Gate 16 (Five previous winners): Game Winner 5-1
Gate 17 (Zero previous winners): Roadster 6-1
Gate 18 (Two previous winners): Long Range Toddy 30-1
Gate 19 (One previous winners): Spinoff 30-1
Gate 20 (One previous winners): Country House 30-
I’m not hanging my hat on polls, particularly nationwide polls of 500 people, but if there’s any truth to the trends in the polls, Joe has the early momentum since his announcement. As RCP reports:
Polling Data
(The numbers below the dates are for Biden, Sanders, Warren Buttigieg, in that order)
RCP Average
4/11 – 4/29
32.8
19.4
Biden +13.4
Quinnipiac
4/26 – 4/29
38
11
12
10
Biden +26
CNN
4/25 – 4/28
39
15
8
7
Biden +24
Morning Consult
4/22 – 4/28
36
22
9
8
Biden +14
Monmouth
4/11 – 4/15
27
20
6
8
Biden +7
Emerson
4/11 – 4/14
24
29
7
9
Sanders +5
(Sorry if the earlier version of this was incomprehensible gobbledigook – I’ve tried to reformat it)
Patd
I will still bet Roadster on the premise of “Someone has to be the first”. Having said that, Improbable is my second choice (Pogo move over) so I’ll probably box Roadster, Improbable and Omaha Beach into an exacta.
That makes good horse sense, Jamie. Besides, track condition will probably be more important than post position, and there’s a 100% chance of rain Saturday in Louisville. Won’t be kind to the wardrobes and hats but enough mint juleps and who’ll give a damn?
Oh, and back to politics for a minute – the most interesting recent poll I saw was an Emerson poll from Texas showing Joe beating SFB by 1. In that poll the only other Dem SFB doesn’t beat is Beto – who shows a tie with him.
At this point… I’m skeptical of polls showing who is leading the Democrats. The new polls all show Biden first and then either Bernie or Warren 2 and 3. So all the oldies but goodies are winning the hearts and minds of Dems. Or is it that only oldies but goodies bother to pick up their phones and answer the questions. I find it hard to believe that younger people want someone over 70 to be the next prez. It’s still too early, IMO.
Jack… yeah… we have the same horse… I’m up front (which of course if he loses means you can blame me) 😉
Renee, yes, it’s way to early to predict the winner of the nomination sweepstakes, but we do follow who’s rising and who’s falling in the meantime.
The House should sue to prevent barr from using the Justice Department as trump property lawyers. It should also serve a subpoena duces tecum to barr while he’s at the ‘other body’ today. Then they should place the Sgt-at-Arms at a site convenient for arresting mnuchin, and arrest him. He’s waaaay late in providing trump’s IRS dox that the House subpoenaed. The Dem and Indie public need to feel that the Dem Representatives are representing them and getting something done.
That’s just 3 things that Dems should complete by dinner time.
I think it is necessary to demonstrate to the public that the House of Representatives has power, and that their work is vitally important. I also think it is important to fasten the trump Administration’s attention on co-operating with the House investigations of trump’s business, campaign, and administrative crimes. There can be no better way of focusing their attention than by arresting scofflaws like mnuchin and barr.
Jamie, may I have Omaha Beach in memory of my late Uncle Bill?
Updated Kentucky Derby List. Make sure I have everyone. Craig, David …. Too busy selling real estate or do you want a horse for Saturday?
Kentucky Derby
1 – War of Will 20-1 RR & Whiskey Jack
2 – Tax 20-1 XR
3 – By My Standards 20-1
4 – Gray Magician 50 – 1
5 – Improbable 6 – 1 Pogo & Lani
6 – Vekoma 20-1
7 – Maximum Security 10 – 1
8 -Tacitus 10-1 Sturgeone
9 – Plus Que Parfait 30-1
10 – Cutting Humor 30-1
11 – Haikal 30-1
12 – Omaha Beach 4-1 Flatus
13 – Code of Honor 15-1
14 – Win Win Win 15-1
15 – Master Fencer 15-1
16 – Game Winner 5-1
17 – Roadster 6-1 Patd & Jamie
18 – Long Range Toddy 30-1
19 – Spinoff 30-1
20 – Country House 30-1
AE – Bodexpress
Barr is the perfect SFB AG. He’s engaging (or attempting to) in legal legerdemain. Black is white, up is down, big is small …
Hooray Hooray the First of May
Outdoor F—king begins today
although it’s a bit chilly for that here
Slimey economic fortune teller stansbury research is promoting a book and the idea that Dems are leading us to socialism and slavery. There are pictures of AOC, E. Warren, and Bernie. It looks kinda like the latest republican crap. The ‘plot’ in the book plot is that Dems will declare a Jewish-type “Jubilee on Debt”, particularly student debt, that will destroy creditors and bring on the enslavement of those who were previously enslaved to debt ! The solution and savior is stansbury, himself, of course. stansbury and gold bugs, will make freedom ring, no doubt in a non-Jewish kind of Jubilee. This is old fashioned stuff of benjamin harrison and warren harding, and traditional, pre-coughlin American anti-Semitism.
I wonder how much the rNC/trump campaign/russia is paying stansbury to self-promote in this fashion.
Watched as much of the Barr testimony as I could stand …. He sounds so very nitpicky and twisted while you know he is doing the prevarication tap dance all around a question until time runs out. Stomach couldn’t take any more. Switching to my British mysteries where there is more doubt as to who dunnit.
Sen???? Marcia Blackburn looks like she just crawled out of a ditch. She is repulsive
Jamie, please put me down for roadster, maximum security and game winner respectively win, place and show.
wow, kamala is tough.
Goopers look to Nixon for help — repeat the big lie
bits and a couple of tweets reported by the guardian
William Barr said he did not personally review the underlying evidence in order to make his judgment that Donald Trump did not obstruct justice.
“We accepted the statements in the report as the factual record. We did not go underneath it to see whether they were accurate. We accepted it as accurate,” he said.
He said no one in his office reviewed the underlying evidence either.
Under questioning by Senator Kamala Harris, Barr also waivered on whether anyone at the White House had told or suggested that he open an investigation into anyone.
“They have not asked me to open an investigation,” he said. “I wouldn’t say suggested.” Asked if anyone had hinted or inferred that he should open an investigation, he said, “I don’t know.”
Senator Harris: Has the president or the WH ever asked or suggested you open an investigation into anyone?
*pause*
Barr asks for the Q to be repeated. It’s repeated.
AG Barr: They haven’t asked me to open an investigation…Suggested? I don’t know.
502
Kamala Harris asks Barr if anyone in the White House suggested he open an investigation of anyone
BARR: “Could you repeat that question?”
She does.
BARR: “I’m trying to grapple with the word ‘suggest.'”
Barr to himself — could you look like a bigger asshole tht harris woman is making you look like an idiot
This plumbing goober is uninvitedly telling me about socialism and what Bernie wants to do…make the minimum wage go up to 15 per but then they’re gonna tax you at 54%. I’m thinking, Dork, shaddup, and was going to move to a different part of the mcmansion, but then his fat ass found he’d left something he needed down in his truck and lumbered off down the three flights of stairs and down the street where he’d had to park because he’d staggered in, weary from having to keep himself semi-erect, about 2 hours after he was expected.
Omaha Beach – in memory of family friend who went in on the second wave.
Missed much of the B.S. session, and do not care. Every day I am more concerned about the missing Republican party; the party that was anti-Communist (Russian). The “law and order” party. The men (very few women) who loved these United States. That party is no more. I have no idea what those men are trying to be. Perhaps criminals, but bad at it. Maybe Russian agents, but bad at it. Possibly they want to be SFB, but are too stupid. I do not know, except for one fact – they are not Americans anymore.
You know, if I had to engage in wistful surmise right now, I’d be thinking that Baghdad Barr is crapping his tent-sized pants. Either that or he is secure in the knowlege that the GOP is going to do something large and ghastley .
I hope all the Democrats are squeaky clean out there cause there’s some heavy hitters just digging away for dirt.
sturgeone – the hardest part is not having sins within our ancestors. Back in the 1600’s to mid-1700’s my ancestors were slave holders. That they released the good people and made them freemen prior to the Revolutionary War might not matter to the purists of the party. I am sorry they held slaves. If I was running for office is that enough?
I listened to the hearing while weaving today. Went pretty much the way I expected… Dems roasted him and Repugs honored him. I won’t be around a tv most of tomorrow… thank god… I had enough today.
BlueB… I agree… the republican party that used to claim to be the most patriotic is no longer American. The republican party that used to claim it was for family values no longer has any values. It is immoral and corrupt.
Le Partie Russe.
Lock ’em ALL up !
NEW THREAD