It’s been a memorable 7 weeks, what with Irma exploding our trees, Dad beating skin cancer, shingles and bronchitis, plus wonder dog Toby aggressively keeping the critters out of our massive piles of yard debris. Last night she tried to pick a fight with an owl, but I called her inside — not a critter I’d bet against.
I leave Southern Command in the capable hands of Dad and Toby, with a key assist from our spirit messenger family of Red-Shouldered Hawks.
Orlando sentinel:Â Commentary:
Puerto Rico exodus to Central Florida could bring unprecedented change
the guardian:
The Trump-Russia dossier: why its findings grow more significant by the day
As US officials investigate potential collusion between Trump and Moscow, the series of reports by the former UK intelligence official Christopher Steele are casting an ever darker shadow over the president
Nine months after its first appearance, the set of intelligence reports known as the Steele dossier, one of the most explosive documents in modern political history is still hanging over Washington, casting a shadow over the Trump administration that has only grown darker as time has gone by.
It was reported this week that the document’s author, former British intelligence official, Christopher Steele, has been interviewed by investigators working for the special counsel on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The Senate and House intelligence committees are, meanwhile, asking to see Steele to make up their own mind about his findings. The ranking Democrat on the House committee, Adam Schiff, said that the dossier was “a very important and useful guide to help us figure out what we need to look into”.
The fact that Steele’s reports are being taken seriously after lengthy scrutiny by federal and congressional investigators has far-reaching implications.
[….]
“Many of my former CIA colleagues have taken [Steele] reports seriously since they were first published,” wrote John Sipher, a former senior officer in the CIA’s National Clandestine Service on the Just Security website.
“This is not because they are not fond of Trump (and many admittedly are not), but because they understand the potential plausibility of the reports’ overall narrative based on their experienced understanding of both Russian methods, and the nature of raw intelligence reporting.”
Sipher emphasised the “raw” nature of the reports, aimed at conveying an accurate account of what sources are saying, rather than claiming to be a definitive summary of events. There are spelling mistakes and rough edges. Several of the episodes it described remain entirely unverified.
But as every passing months bring more leaks, revelations in the press, and more progress in the investigations, the Steele dossier has generally gained in credibility, rather than lost it.
[….]
A Steele memo from August 2016 states that after Russia’s hand had been discovered in the hacking of Democratic party emails and passing them to WikiLeaks for publication, another avenue of influence would be explored.
The memo says “the tactics would be to spread rumours and misinformation about the content of what already had been leaked and make up new content”.
The Russian official alleged by Steele’s sources to be in charge of the operation, Sergei Ivanov – then Putin’s chief of staff – is quoted as saying: “The audience to be targeted by such operations was the educated youth in America as the PA assessed that there was still a chance they could be persuaded to vote for Republican candidate Donald Trump as a protest against the Washington establishment (in the form of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.”
The Steele dossier said one of the aims of the Russian influence campaign was to peel off voters who had supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries and nudge them towards Trump.
Evidence has since emerged that Russians and east Europeans posing as Americans targeted Sanders supporters with divisive and anti-Clinton messages in the summer of 2016, after the primaries were over.
There are other details in the Steele dossier that have echoed in subsequent news reports, but there are also several claims and accounts for which no supporting evidence has emerged.
[…continues….]
a good way to follow the action from bill moyers & co:
Interactive Timeline: Everything We Know About Russia and President Trump
Explore our updated, comprehensive Trump-Russia Timeline — or select one of the central players in the Trump-Russia saga to see what we know about them.
Lest we forget Stein standing outside the Democratic Convention appealing to Senator Sanders’ followers to join her. She is a willing player here in undermining democracy. Helping to defeat Secretary Clinton was more important than working to defeat an incompetent stooge. May Stein be forever damned for what she is & what she did.
Safe travels, Mr Crawford.
Toby is my hero. ?
Craig, enjoy your ‘shape shifting’ back to headquarters. Very eloquent post and I am glad elder Crawford is back in charge with his recently groomed yard and that he has Toby as back-up.  Very romantic DaveB is flying in.
From 2016. Weinstein and Bannon.
Pleasant journey. You will have the good experience to not meet another hurricane/tropical mess, Nate.
As the saying goes Poobah, your work there is done. And by all accounts a job well done.
So is the Steele dossier the trump/prostitute/pee-on-me dossier or is that another one? Â ?
Well, autumn arrived at the Pogo household last night. Literally overnight what was a green and gray color palette in the front yard has now gone to yellow, red and green. Still plenty a room for yellows and reds to develop, but it was literally an overnight  transition.  I know that it won’t last long, but it’s pretty for now.
What’s the ETA charleston?
Southern Command is a beautiful home. Safe travels back to the DC swampland.
Craig… Â you and David have a great trip home. Â You are a good son.
Flatus…. Â what a game! Â I admit we didn’t watch all 5 hrs of it… Â but did watch the entire extra innings part. Â Go Tito! Â Go Indians!
If you’re Motelling it:
Town and Country Inn and suites…..hwy 17 just south of town…..fantastic breakfast and lunch buffet…..
Otherwise come out here, but it’s pretty far off the beaten path……
pogo, yes, one in the golden shower same.
here’s wsj Potomac watch with bill mcgurn and kim strassel yesterday for 27 minutes trying to be fair and balanced (well they try, but it seems very much from the conservative pov) about what’s been proven up to now. I have more faith in the guardian’s take on steele and the dossier.
Satire from The Borowitz Report
DeVos Defends Trump: “Would a Moron Hire Me?”
Safe trip home Craig —
what’s your charleston plans besides picking up David?
PG and all his supporters should be deported to Russia
Leaving after I take a shower. ETA Charleston dinner time. No plans, Sturg, just hanging out with cuz Caroline and Mike tomorrow, heading to Wilmington Monday. Let me know if you’re avail.
was it only a year ago today when the ass-turd hit and the earth was never the same? seems an eternity.
cnn at msn:
October 7, 2016, started like any regular Friday.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were busy on the campaign trail, early voting was already underway in a handful of states and anticipation was building for the second presidential debate, which was two days away.
But by the end of the day, three unprecedented events unfolded that, in remarkably unpredictable ways, would change the course of American history. The Trump campaign seemed to be on the brink of collapse, the U.S. had declared that Russia was trying to interfere in the election, and WikiLeaks began injecting new controversies into the race.
[….]
The press release hit reporters’ inboxes around 3:30 p.m. ET, and it seemed like the kind of bombshell that would carry the rest of the day, and probably into the weekend: The Obama administration was breaking its silence and accusing the Russian government of meddling in the presidential election.
The landmark statement was jointly released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, run by James Clapper, and the Department of Homeland Security, led by Jeh Johnson….
The statement blamed Russia for hacking the Democratic National Committee, and orchestrating the public release of thousands of its internal emails. The disclosures by WikiLeaks roiled the presidential campaign and threw the Democratic Party into chaos, creating bad blood between supporters of Democratic nominee Clinton and runner-up Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“The U.S. Intelligence Community is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organizations,” it said. “… These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process.”
[….]
About 30 minutes later came one of the most consequential stories of the presidential election.
The Washington Post published a video from 2005 of Trump speaking in explicit and vulgar terms about groping and kissing women, bragging about what sounded to most people like sexual assault.
“You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them,” Trump said, speaking on a hot microphone with TV personality Billy Bush for an “Access Hollywood” taping. “It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p—-.”
Within minutes, the footage careened around the Internet. It was replayed over and over, sometimes even with uncensored expletives and crude sexual terms, on all the television news networks.
Republican governors, senators and other officials started to publicly condemn Trump’s remarks. Some in competitive races across the country further distanced themselves from the GOP nominee, and others even withdrew their endorsements. The Trump campaign was plunged into complete chaos.
[….]
The third major story broke around 4:30 p.m., when WikiLeaks began tweeting links to emails hacked from the personal account of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. By this point in the afternoon, the explosive Trump tape was commanding wall-to-wall attention in the media, so the Podesta leaks were somewhat of an afterthought. But they kicked off weeks of anguish for the Clinton campaign.
What came out on October 7 was the first batch of near-daily releases that were published in the closing weeks of the presidential election. The 20,000 pages of emails were embarrassing for Clinton — they contained transcripts of her paid speeches to Wall Street banks, controversial comments from staffers about Catholic voters, and messages that appeared to show a cozy relationship with the press.
The Trump campaign latched onto the new releases, and Trump regularly read from the leaked documents at his campaign events. “I love WikiLeaks,” he declared at an October 10 rally in Pennsylvania.
[….continues…]
Renee, I watched all five hours and twenty minutes of it. Undoubtedly for us home team folks it was the most mesmerizing and rewarding Indians game ever. Thirteen innings of riveting drama during which nary a soul departed the Stadium. People are probably still downtown celebrating. Truly, it feels just like ’48!
Now, I’ve been worrying over the Redsox. I really would like to see them do what we know they can do to the Astros.
brexit exit?
the guardian:
Theresa May is under pressure to publish secret legal advice that is believed to state that parliament could still stop Brexit before the end of March 2019 if MPs judge that a change of mind is in the national interest. The move comes as concern grows that exit talks with Brussels are heading for disaster.
The calls for the prime minister to reveal advice from the country’s top legal experts follow government statements declaring that Brexit is now unstoppable, and that MPs will have to choose between whatever deal is on offer next year – even if it is a bad one – or no deal at all.
Disquiet has been growing among pro-remain MPs, and within the legal profession and business community, about what is becoming known as the government’s “kamikaze” approach. Ministers insist that stopping Brexit is not an option, as the British people made their decision in last year’s referendum, and the article 50 process is now under way, however damaging the consequences might turn out to be when negotiations are concluded.
[….]
The prominent lawyer Jessica Simor QC, from Matrix chambers, has written to May asking her to release the legal advice under the Freedom of Information Act. Simor says she has been told by “two good sources” that the prime minister has been advised “that the article 50 notification can be withdrawn by the UK at any time before 29 March 2019 resulting in the UK remaining in the EU on its current favourable terms.
“Such advice would also accord with the view of Lord Kerr, who was involved in drafting article 50, of Jean-Claude Piris, former director general of the EU council’s legal service, and of Martin Selmayr, a lawyer and head of cabinet to the European commission president.” She says “there is no time to waste” and adds: “It is important that this advice is made available to the British public and their representatives in parliament as soon as possible.”
[…continues…]
Flatus… Â the Astros are a better team than the Red Sox. Â So get prepared to see them. Â Altuve is the real deal. Â Go Indians!
It seems there is a lot of voter remorse – Paul Ryan should take a long hard look at himself
Just crossed Savannah River.
Renee, the entire sports section of today’s journal is focused on Tito and his Scrabble playing. And there’s an interesting op-ed on Burn’s Vietnam series. Thanks for your support of the tribe!
craig, better tell dad to put a fence around that new banana sprout with a good lock and chain on it.
wapo: Bananapocalypse: The race to save the world’s most popular fruit
[….]
An insidious fungus known as fusarium wilt has wiped out tens of thousands of acres of Cavendish plantations in Australia and Southeast Asia over the past decade. And the fungus recently gained a foothold in Africa and the Middle East, hitching a ride on the boots of workers helping to establish new plantations. Scientists say Latin America, the source of virtually all the bananas eaten in the United States, is next.
No other variety of banana combines the sweetness and suitability for packing and export of the Cavendish. If the Humpty Doo experiment — or simultaneous efforts with conventional breeding techniques — don’t bring positive results, scientist say we could be looking at a future where bananas all but disappear from store shelves.
[…continues…]
Ah, I misunder stood…. Thought Cuz was in Wilmington and you were just hanging out here a bit…..
Hi gang – long time no post. Good luck on your travels up North Mr. C.
Still trying to undo the crap that Harvey has laid amongst us – waiting on fencing so I can get my dogs back to Southern Tx (getting bids of between 7K and 2Million right now – folks who will start on the work sometime before Friday and the next election, yea right.
Don’t even know what to say about the PG in the WH except I’ve never been this ashamed over a Pol – like ever.
Take care folks – still trying to educate our future – these are trying times?
DV
…”these are trying times?”
dv, yep, time for a bunch of folk (especially the twit in the wh) to be tried and not just found wanting but guilty as charged.
so sorry for you and your dogs getting stiffed about the fence. is it a matter of price gouging or scarcity… or both? hard to be burdened with displacement woes on top of disappointment and disgust with d.c. denizens .
Tryin’ Times [Songwriters: DONNY HATHAWAY, LEROY HUTSON]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Tryin’ times, what the world is talkin’ about
You got confusion all over the land, yeah
You got mother against daughter, you got father against son
You know the whole thing is getting out of hand
Then maybe folks wouldn’t have to suffer
If there was more love for your brother
But these are tryin’ times, yeah, yeah
You got the riots in the ghetto, it’s all around
A whole lot of things that’s wrong is going down, yes, it is
I can’t understand it from my point of view
‘Cause I think you should do unto others
As you’d have them do unto you
Then maybe folks wouldn’t have to suffer
If there was more love for your brother
But these are tryin’ times, yes, it is
I said man is always talking ’bout it’s inhumanity to man
But what is he tryin’ to do to make it a better man?
Oh, just read the paper, turn on your TV
You see folks demonstrating about equality
But maybe folks wouldn’t have to suffer
If there was more love for your brother
But these are tryin’ times
Tryin’ times, yeah, that’s what the world is talkin’ about
You got confusion all over the land