Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta expected to be Donald Trump's pick for ambassador to Italy

Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets as well as the hospitality company Landry's, is expected to be named president-elect Donald Trump's ambassador to Italy, according to Jennifer Jacobs of CBS News. Fertitta, 67, has never held political office before, though he is a well-known political donor that has contributed to a number of candidates over the years, including Trump.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/rockets-owner-tilman-fertitta-expected-to-be-donald-trumps-pick-for-ambassador-to-italy/

Un altro scemo.

CBS NY: New images of UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting person of interest released

These images are taken post-killing, in the cab ride to the bus terminal on 178th street.

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-central-park-lake/

Remember that Ford's Pardon of Nixon was for ANY Federal Violation...

...during a given time period, to wit, January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974 - the full period of his Presidency. Notice that this isn't even restricted to Watergate-related affairs. It includes every moment of Nixon's Presidency, period.

Whether a pardon carries an imputation of guilt or accepting a pardon means acknowledging guilt in a crime is a fine little question for law professors and philosophers, but has no bearing or effect in the real world. Remember that when the usual pedants come around quoting Burdick.

I say fire up the printer. Let's go.

Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito likely to retire within 12 months

Yes or no?

I'd say Thomas is a definite, and they will do that in Year 1 to mark it as an accomplishment. Alito is a maybe, but if he goes, he will go before midterms. I think he knows he's grown a bit long in the tooth, and may just want to retire to his LBI summer joint with his kookoo bananas moglie.

Universities advising International Students to Return to US prior to January 20

Many university breaks will last past inauguration day, buit some universities are advising their international students and faculty traveling abroad to be back in the US by January 20. The concern is that Trump may issue Day 1 travel bans that will prevent students and faculty from returning in good order. Some of this is older news - UMass issued their warning about 10 days ago, but more warnings are starting to come in (Boston U, MIT) as schools begin to wrangle with the logistics.

A Piece of Advice: Take the Wins

There are not going to be a lot of wins over the next few months. As we've already seen in 2016 and starting again now, the whole force of American media and society launch into an orgy of legitimation for a new President, and especially for one with dubious legitimacy. So that's all going to be going on. They're going to be gushing over the Inaugural Balls and other shit. They're going to be solemnly proclaiming this and that.

I know it's our instnct to see Matt Gaetz step aside and immediately think, "I fear a worse come in his place." And then to speculate on the worse. But this is a win. Matt Gaetz is an execrable piece of human dogshit. Possibly the worst nominee for a cabinet position in history. To see him forced out within a week or so of being named is a bright spot. To see Trump and Don Jr. have to eat their pick, pushed back by the Senate they seek to hold dominion over? To see that weasel Vance rebuffed by his own colleagues? That's a win. It's a win. Celebrate it before you kvetch over the nastiness to come. Surely there will be nastiness. Celebrate the little things. Matt Gaetz is no longer in government at all. And good riddance.

SNL Also Sanewashes Trump

The current Trump impersonator for Saturday Night Live is James Austin Johnson. His Trump is formally excellent. He in fact captures many aspects of Trump's speech and mannerisms that other impersonators missed. That said, his Trump is also a sanewashed version: Austin Johnson turns Trump's disturbing behavior into something more akin to irritation or annoyance rather than the "full bore" craziness that it is. This has been true for this entire season, but was very clear last night.

They had Trump giving one of his bizarre speeches, and even included Trump's disturbing microphone incident, with Austin Johnson both fondling and mimicking fellatio on the mic. But this was played as Trump just being really annoyed with everything - a clear-minded person who just doesn't care anymore. Austin Johnson's Trump is very much in control of his faculties, but just over it all. That's the root of his bizarre behavior in these skits.

Now, you might say, are they supposed to play him truly deranged? Well, compare Dana Carvey's portrayal of Biden as an elderly person truly out to lunch. The difference is stark. Austin Johnson's Trump is fully in conrol of his faculties, but irritable. Carvey's Biden is unfit for office.

OK, OK, it's just a skit show, I get it. It's all a joke. Who cares? Fine, that's a fair point. This is just an observation about the many ways that Trump gets a pass, even in what would have to be considered a Trump unfriendly space.

Has the Supreme Court's War on Regulation Started to Affect the Food Supply

I do not recall a stretch of this many deadly foodborne events in recent memory. Sure, there was always this warning and that warning, but it seems like a new listeria or e coli outbreak with numerous deaths every month. Where is the FDA? Or is this just a news effect, where if there's one story you hear more?

Is the Supreme Court's attack on the ability of federal agencies to enforce regulations to blame?

Philly area voters won't be distracted by baseball in the closing stretch of the election

Port Workers to return to work tomorrow (Friday)

So much for the crisis...