Grand Old Police Blotter: Every GOP Is A Criminal Edition

I can't seem to recall any pseudo-libertarian Teabaggers complaining about Nanny Bloomberg when he actually violated civil liberties, and pissed on the Constitution, rather than simply trying to Coke-block their corpulent pie holes.

A federal judge has ruled that the New York Police Department illegally arrested large numbers of demonstrators at a protest in Lower Manhattan during the 2004 Republican National Convention. But the judge upheld aspects of how the city had handled the protesters’ arrests.

A judge said the city did not have probable cause to arrest more than 200 antiwar demonstrators in Lower Manhattan on Aug. 31, 2004.

The judge, Richard J. Sullivan of Federal District Court, said that the city had lacked the required probable cause because the police were unaware of whether each individual protester had broken the law.

“An individual’s participation in a lawbreaking group may, in appropriate circumstances, be strong circumstantial evidence of that individual’s own illegal conduct,” the judge wrote in a 32-page opinion. “But, no matter the circumstances,” he added, “an arresting officer must believe that every individual arrested personally violated the law. Nothing short of such a finding can justify arrest. The Fourth Amendment does not recognize guilt by association.”

Ironically, Sullivan was appointed by W. Bush in Bush's sescond term, the one facilitated in some measure by the thuggery of the NYPD and then-Republican Mayor Mike. Sullivan filled the seat vacated by that noted destroyer of civil liberties, Mike Mukasey.

If anyone can point me to a blogpost from Instacracker decrying these arrests when they occurred, or even linking to an article about Sullivan's recent ruling, I'll donate 50 USD to the ACLU.

Grand Old Police Blotter: Long Island Iced Teabags Edition

A respectful Republican makes an appearance at an Iowan P.F. Chang's, explains the IOKIYAR principle to law enforcement officials:

Officer Chris Morgan said in his report that when he arrived, [Charlene Idelle Hunziker, 47, of Council Bluffs] reportedly yelled at him and said he didn’t need to be there because "she was a Republican."

Hunziker reportedly refused a sobriety test and admitted to having consumed alcohol, but insisted she was not drunk, according to the report.

A witness reportedly told Morgan that Hunziker was drunk and had been bothering other customers with her opinions about the previous night’s presidential debate, her support for Romney and her belief that “Obama had ruined this country and ... Muslims were causing America all these problems.”

The woman’s daughter proclaimed her mother "an embarrassment" and walked out of the restaurant, the witness said. When restaurant employees asked Hunziker to leave, she "got in the employees’ face and told them that she had rights and was refusing to leave."

After the woman told Morgan she was a Republican, he told her that he couldn't just leave – a statement she reportedly argued, according to the officer’s narrative of the encounter. The report said Hunziker kicked, screamed and struggled as Morgan and a backup officer tried to handcuff her and place her in the squad car.

These events reportedly unfolded at 3:45 p.m. on a Friday.

Before anyone suggests anything improper, I'm told Ann Althouse has an alibi. And hasn't seen her 40s in a dog's age.

Link via Wonkette

Hack to the Future

Following last night's debate, David Brooks phones in the kind of insight that we've come to expect from him:

Correction: October 12, 2012

An earlier version of this article gave an incorrect surname for the "Family Ties" character played by Michael J. Fox. The character was Alex Keaton, not Keating.

If I remember more correctly than BoBo, Alex Keaton was humorless prick who lived with his parents well into his twenties and attended college but never created -- or held -- a job.

BoBo's thinking of the convicted bankster who would have bought Paul Ryan in the 80s if Ryan was 30 years older.

Confidential to the New York Times: I've got 750 words on Mitt Romney as Leland Palmer. E-mail me for the details on where to send payment.

Ryan's Mope

I expect that Congressman Ryan was talking about Durex.

Makes more sense than what he actually said.

Pussy Riot

Joe Biden has been just beastly to that nice young bodybuilder.

Even as the CBS flash poll declared Smokin' Joe the victor, and even as even the squirrel pelt on Frank Luntz's dome called the debate a draw, Sean Hannity lay back on his fainting couch and soaked his lace hankie over the death of civility.

The Joementum is unstoppable.

Tin/Aluminium

For those of you keeping track, the 10th anniversary of Roger Ailes, the blog, falls later this month. Only sixteen more shopping days 'til Rogermas.

Here're some helpful hints for those wishing to show Roger just how much you treasure it/him:

Traditional Gestures

Tradition dictates that you give tin on this anniversary, which can be a lofty goal in modern times. A common substitute is pewter or aluminum. Aluminum roses are both decorative and appropriate for the theme, and are available both artificially colored and plain. For men that don't particularly care for metal flowers, opt for something more practical, like a pewter picture frame, or something decorative, like a metal statuette.

Creative Spins

Think outside the box with a creative take on tradition. Some everyday items are made of, or at least contain, aluminum---including things that your husband may appreciate. Beer cans, for example, are made of aluminum; a generous supply of his favorite brew could be a welcome surprise. [ed. note -- or trigger an unwelcome relapse]  Accessories like sunglasses, fishing gear or even electronic gadgets can fit the bill as well. Other gifts may not be made primarily of aluminum or tin, but contain them. Special anniversary editions of popular gifts like barbecue kits and poker sets are made with this specific occasion in mind, and are made with just enough of the appropriate metals to make them fitting for the day.

Modern Alternatives

Another modern---albeit more expensive---alternative to tin is diamonds, which open up your options considerably. Many men's accessories are designed with diamonds. Cufflinks, watches, rings or earrings are stylish additions to a modern man's wardrobe.

Just remember, as in voting and emergency resuscitation, it's not the thought that counts.

Corporations Are People, My Friend

Libertarianism explained, in four paragraphs:

But Mr. Aglialoro, chief executive of exercise-equipment maker Cybex International and a longtime disciple of "Atlas Shrugged" author Ayn Rand, thinks the timing is right [for "Atlas Shrugged, Part II"].

...

"Part II" faced a new setback when Cybex lost a liability lawsuit in 2010 alleging that one of its weight machines had tipped over on a woman, leaving her paralyzed.

"I feel so sorry for her," Mr. Aglialoro says. "She jumped up on there and pulled the machine back on herself while she was stretching." The parties settled for $19.5 million in February. Cybex stock dropped so low the company faced delisting.

"The lawsuit was crippling," Mr. Aglialoro says.

From the NYT.com "Recommended for You" box:

1. Irving Adler, Author of Science and Math Books for the Young, Dies at 99

2. Billy Barnes Dies at 85; Helped Revive Revues

3. Chris Economaki, Rumbling Voice of Auto Racing, Dies at 91

4. Herbert Lom, Frustrated Boss of Inspector Clouseau, Dies at 95

5. Robert Newton, Maker of Racing Tires, Dies at 85

6. Maurice H. Keen Dies at 78; Redefined Chivalry

7. Dr. Griffith Edwards, Addiction Specialist, Dies at 83

8. John Silber Dies at 86; Led Boston University

9. ORDINARY PEOPLE A Life Distinguished by Enthusiasm, Not Disability

10. TEXAS MONTHLY GTT

Suddenly, I'm not feeling so well.

Teabags Go Fleabag

At the Idiot's Corner, John "Thumb" Fund forwards a report on the conditions of the FEMA Camp hotel to which wingnuts were "assigned" by the DNC:

The Knights Inn was the worst hotel I have ever seen, and I've stayed in many bad motels in my life. Two guys were dealing drugs in the room next to me, and a prostitute was working out of the parking lot. And this was in the early afternoon. The room itself was dirty, full of other people's stuff, etc.

I have never requested a hotel change in 3 years at NR. This was the first time I felt absolutely compelled.

Morgan Pillsbury reports on the kind of accomodations John Fund prefers:

His apartment, she reports, was full of "dirty dishes, unopened mail, and bottles of alcohol from hotel minibars"; the floor was "covered with piles of black socks and dirty underwear."

Perhaps the Knights Inn doesn't stock its rooms with booze.

Roger's Pedagogical Corner

During my daily review of popular "Mommyblogs," I came across series of queries:

Filling out the lists of “summer reading” their teachers required as the school year began, my children and I ran across a quandary of our own. For school reading purposes, do books listened to, as audio books, count as books read?

Whether listening to an audio book counts as reading it has long been debated on blogs and at book clubs. I’m torn; I enjoy absorbing my books one way (words on a page, please), but as far as the content goes, I don’t see any difference in listening to it, although I admit to perceiving the reader/listener differently depending on the circumstance and the choice. (Maybe I shouldn’t, but there it is.)

But here we’re talking about something slightly different: for a student, is there a difference between reading and listening to a book? Should a listened-to book go on a “books enjoyed over the summer” list? If a student is required to read “The Hobbit” over the summer, does a student who listens to all 11 hours and 6 minutes of it, unabridged, fulfill the requirement?

We’ve resolved the question for back-to-school purposes (we went for disclosure), but it’s sure to come up again. Is it a different question for different ages? What about for a book report — can a student listen to the book rather than read? What about the student who wants to do both?

Which raises an interesting question. (I'll be the judge of that.)

When did schools start issuing summer reading lists? I never had one in grade school or high school, either as a suggested or mandatory list. Is this something fairly new, or did I just go to crappy schools? (Or both.)  Is this limited to schools populated by the children of the kind of overachieving wankers who live to get their brats into  prestigious colleges?  Is it just a way for schools to get parents to buy the books?

As for audiobooks, back in the day, the audiobooks would have been on cassette, rather than mp3 or CD, so it probably would have been more expensive to go the audio route.

Our Benevolent Masters, Part One

The SCL New York Times op-ed page gives us a new hero for social justice: Henry Ford:

IN the rancorous debate over how to get the sluggish economy moving, we have forgotten the wisdom of Henry Ford. In 1914, not long after the Ford Motor Company came out with the Model T, Ford made the startling announcement that he would pay his workers the unheard-of wage of $5 a day.

Not only was it a matter of social justice, Ford wrote, but paying high wages was also smart business.

The only thing missing is a tribute to Ford's visionary efforts on behalf of racial equality, religious tolerance and workers' rights.

Billion Dollar Moonies

The Korean Sheldon Adelson, the Wingnut Messiah, the spiritual father of Wes Pruden and the man you don't want to borrow a towel from, has died:

Building a business empire in South Korea and Japan, Mr. Moon used his commercial interests to support nonprofit ventures, then kept control of them by placing key insiders within their hierarchies. He avidly backed right-wing causes, turning The Washington Times into a respected newspaper in conservative circles.
...
In the church’s view, Jesus had failed in his mission to purify mankind because he was crucified before being able to marry and have children. Mr. Moon saw himself as completing the unfulfilled task of Jesus: to restore humankind to a state of perfection by producing sinless children, and by blessing couples who would produce them.
...
Mr. Moon struggled against bad publicity. He was sent to prison on tax evasion charges and accused of influence-buying and maintaining ties to the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. He denied both allegations. In the late 1970s he was caught up in a Congressional investigation into attempts by South Korea to influence American policy. There were battles with local officials over zoning for church buildings and tax-exempt status.
...
Prominent people were paid to appear at Moon-linked conferences. The first President George Bush did so after he left office. Others, like former President Gerald R. Ford, Bill Cosby, Mikhail S. Gorbachev and Jack Kemp, attended banquets and gatherings, sometimes saying afterward that they had not known of a connection between Mr. Moon and the organizations that invited them.
...
The extent of his holdings was somewhat of a mystery, but one figure gives a clue: Mr. Moon acknowledged that in the two decades since the founding of The Washington Times, in 1982, he pumped in more than $1 billion in subsidies to keep it going.

The Moonie Times, such as it is, has a sanitized send-off for the convicted criminal and right-wing sugar daddy, complete with a tear-stained tribute from Neil Bush, a lover of all things Asian. Among other things the Moonie e-rag forget to mention: Moon's divinity, his anti-semitism and his unusual laundry practices.

Allow Me to Blow Your Mind

A hack who has been canned by every news outlet and temp agency that has employed her writes:

[Megan] McArdle occupies the opposite pole. "Overall, I wildly underestimated Obama's arrogance and inexperience," she says. "I don't think he's the Antichrist or anything, but his presidency certainly hasn't contained much to please me on the policy front."

At first blush, this comment is standard Meeeegan idiocy -- Somoene who has accomplished nothing criticizing someone accomplished. But it's really an admission of McArdle's own stupidity and journalistic incompetence. How can someone underestimate the experience of a public figure? "I thought Obama had been a Senator for forty years and was Secretary of the Treasury in the Carter Administration, but it turns out I was way off. How could I have known?"

McArdle also laments that she lowballed the Senator's uppityness, which apparently clashes with her kitchen decor.