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Monday, August 19, 2024
DNC Night One
Jesse Wendel 8:18 PM |
Labels: 2024 Election, America, AOC, DNC Chicago, Future, Hope, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris
Monday, April 15, 2024
My Apologies
[edited to replace second with minute because I'm a moron]
GNB has been slow to load for years.
Literally.
At some point in the past someone told me "it's because we're not active so it's on a slow server" and I believed them.
This morning I got an email from Jesse Wendel (aka, the boss) asking if there was anything I could do about how slowly the We Fight On image loads.
I'm not really a web guy, but I did a quick search on how to time a website and it turns out the Safari Develop tab Web Inspector will tell you how long each thing on the page you're viewing took to load.
All I had to do was load the page (endure the 1+ minute load time) and open the inspector.
And it wasn't the We Fight On image and it wasn't the server.
It was a css file called 'ft.css' which was trying to be loaded from a specific IP address -- at which it was not, apparently. It caused an average delay in load of just over a minute (which doesn't sound like a long time, but it really is).
I found out how to see the source of the page in Blogger (it's in the themes section) and did a quick search for 'ft.css', commented out the line that was loading it, did the same for 'counter.js' for good measure (it wasn't nearly as long a delay but it wasn't loading, so why try?).
And the page is fast.
I'm sorry I didn't dig into this years ago and save anybody looking at the page a lot of time.
There's more...Evan Robinson 2:21 PM |
Labels: bugs, css, hosting, load speed, missing files
Saturday, April 13, 2024
Countdown to Trump Criminal Trial #1
Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York City, former President Donald Trump goes on trial.
The Hush Money Documents Fraud in order to interfere with the 2016 Election Interference case.
Or as the media would like to put it, the Porn Star & the President.
Mr. Trump is charged with FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN THE FIRST DEGREE, in violation of New York State Penal Law §175.10, for a total of thirty-four (34) Class E felony charges.
The indictment includes a Statement of Facts, the People’s story of Mr. Trump’s alleged crimes.
This is the first of at least four criminal trials of the former president. Combined these four cases currently include eighty-six (86) felony indictments.
And people are flipping out. Little bit.
As the trial begins, the first ever criminal trial of a former President of the United States, here is what I think is important to remember…
This is how it is supposed to work.
Forget all the media covering every breath, breathlessly.
The media want one thing: to freak you out. Why? Scared people tune in, and the media needs to keep you captivated. That is how they earn their living.
And also, forget all the politically biased people ranting either:
a) it is all a fraud and unjust and wrong, or
b) it should have happened years ago, but it doesn’t even matter because he’ll get away with, as he always does.
All these opinions are just more horseshit.
Focus instead on this, if you would…
This is how it is supposed to work.
The law, especially criminal law, is not a reality show. Many reality series not withstanding.
The law has rules. It has protections and safeguards. It has ethical constraints which are enforced. It has history, cases, libraries filled with books, and legal librarians. The law has procedures.
None of it happens to the relentless urgency or pace of modern media. The law takes the time that it takes. And it works the way that it does. Regardless of what others think.
Criminal law, criminal courts, and criminal trials, are all very much a thing unto themselves.
And again, this is how it is supposed to work.
Maybe the best basketball movie ever is “Hoosiers.”
Hoosiers is a tale of small town high school kids from a never even heard of it before rural town called Hickory, and their basketball coach whom the townspeople didn’t want, whom eventually (spoiler) go to the championship. The movie is damn near perfect.
When these rural kids from Hickory first walk into the arena where they will play the biggest game of their lives, with state and national press, and tens of thousands of screaming fans, they’re taken aback. Most of them have never been in an arena like this in their lives.
So Coach lets them have a moment. And then, this happens:
Coach Dale has a measuring tape.
Dale: “Buddy, hold this under the backboard. What is it?”
Buddy: “15 feet.”
Dale: “15 feet.”
(He walks under the rim)
Dale: “Strap, put Ollie on your shoulders. Measure this from the rim. Buddy? How far?”
Buddy: “Ten feet.”
Dale: “Ten feet. I think you’ll find it’s the exact same measurements as our gym back in Hickory. Let’s get dressed for practice.”
Here’s my point. Forget all the drama.
What is about to happen in a Manhattan courtroom starting Monday, April 15, 2024 — a criminal trial — is also happening in over a thousand criminal courtrooms across the United States that very same day.
Yes. We’ve never had a former President criminal indicted or tried before. That is an actual first. “thank u, next.”
A criminal trial in a city, state, or federal court, is the definition of routine.
There are tens of thousands of judges in our many towns, cities, counties, indigenous nations, fifty states, the District of Columbia, and our multiple territories, as well as the military courts, and the federal circuits.
Criminal trials have gone on in roughly the same way for the last 248 years since our nation was declared. Some changes here and there. Manhattan courts are different than New Orleans, which are different than Santa Fe. But not by much.
Criminal trials are a deeply practiced, well understood phenomenon. We’ve been doing them a long time. We know how to do them. We do them well. Are we perfect? No.
Especially in criminal cases, rich people, white people, straight men, and police, all typically get breaks everyone else does not. Like the American Dream, we can always get better, and over time we usually, eventually do.
But the waiting for this trial is done. This trial begins Monday, April 15. Period.
No matter your media or social media feeds, there is nothing here worth freaking out.
Trials have robust protections for everyone, from the accused, to the lawyers on both sides, to the judge and courtroom staff. Plus they have security. Oh my do they have security.
Like how awesome we are at delivery pizza — totally routine and deeply practiced — America knows how to put people on trial for their alleged crimes. We do it a lot.
At the end of a trial, there are three possible outcomes for each criminal charge: Guilty. Not guilty. Or unable to reach a verdict, what is called a ‘hung jury.’
A more senior court can interrupt a trial, however that is exceedingly rare.
The United States Supreme Court is not going to stop this trial. The New York State appellate courts are not going to stop this trial.
This trial is happening, and when it is done there will be verdicts, one for each of the 34 felony charges.
If (or as seems more likely, when) Mr. Trump is convicted, after time for probation reports and other absolutely normal and routine procedures, he will be sentenced. He could be fined. He could be sent to prison. Or both.
If Mr. Trump is convicted, after being sentenced, he will appeal. This too is normal. It does not mean he is getting away with anything.
This is how law works.
So…
On Monday, try to ignore the media clickbait — it is designed to scare or anger you.
Live your life. What happens will happen.
And if it all gets to you anyway, well then, just remember one thing…
This is how it is supposed to work.
Jesse Wendel 10:21 PM |
Labels: 2016 election, Crime, Election Interference, Karma, rule of law, trial, Trump
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Rule of Law vs. Anyone (including Trump)
1) Trump’s company was convicted in 2022 on 17 criminal charges including tax fraud. Their CFO also plead guilty to multiple felony counts, and spent time in prison.
2) A 2023 jury in New York City found that Trump defamed and sexually abused E Jean Carol. In two trials for damages, he was ordered to pay a total of $88.3 million dollars. He is currently appealing, although a bond has not yet been posted on $83.3 million dollars from the second trial.
3) A 2024 New York State Court found Trump liable for financial fraud. He was ordered to pay over $464 million dollars including pre & post judgement interest. He is currently appealing, although a bond has not yet been posted.
4) A consolidated case including multiple U.S. Congressman, and two U.S. Capitol police officers, suing for damages over the January 6th attempt to violently overthrow the 2020 presidential election. Both the trial judge and the Court of Appeals held Trump was not immune as he was acting in his personal capacity as a presidential candidate, not in his official capacity as president.
1) January 6th (Washington DC) on 4 felony counts for efforts, conspiracy, and obstruction in attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election and stay in office after having lost. The case was scheduled for trial, but is currently resolving an immunity dispute.
In a dispute over immunity, both the trial judge and the Court of Appeals ruled that former presidents are liable for criminal acts committed while president, that to allow otherwise would put presidents beyond the law which is against the very nature of the United States and the Constitution. The immunity dispute is currently scheduled for argument April 22, 2024 in the Supreme Court.
2) National Security and Classified Documents (Florida) on 40 felony counts for intentionally keeping and concealing classified documents, including war plans, and nuclear weapons documents, and for obstructing justice. The case is currently in pre-trial motions.
3) RICO conspiracy case (Georgia) on 13 felony counts of conspiracy and obstruction, for efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. The case is currently in pre-trial motions.
4) Hush money & records fraud (New York City) on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to hide hush money paid to a porn star, all done in an attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election in New York and the nation. The case is scheduled for trial, March 25, 2024.
Jesse Wendel 12:36 PM |
Labels: Crime, Criminal Investigations, Election law, Former President, Mob, rule of law, Trump
Saturday, October 21, 2023
Taylor Swift: The ERAS TOUR Concert Film Review
“I dreamt of you all summer long." —"betty,” folklore
"And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for." —"King of My Heart," Reputation
"NICE!" —"Bejeweled," Midnights
"Are you ready for it?" —"...Ready For It?," Reputation
Opening Weekend brought in almost $100 million in U.S. sales, the second best October opening for a film ever.
THE BEST CONCERT FILM I HAVE EVER SEEN. PERIOD.
Unconditionally recommended, even if you're not a Taylor Swift fan.
In every century there is a concert they talk about decades later. For the 20th century, it was Woodstock. For the 21st century, it will be the Eras Tour.
The concert film puts you in the middle of a 72,000 person sold-out crowd, often just feet away from Taylor, her dancers, and her backing vocalists and band.
From the opening shots of the deliriously screaming crowd in LA’s SoFi stadium, to the gorgeous power strutting of Taylor and her backing dancers during “…Ready for It?,” through the final love fest of “Karma” at the concert’s end, this is Taylor Swift at her best ever. A show that blows out of the water every live concert I have ever seen.
While no doubt the film will come to streaming, catch it on the Big Screen the final three Thursday-Sundays, as it was made to be seen: all-encompassing audio that shakes the room yet is crystal clear, other people totally "wonderstruck" (some perhaps dancing off to the side in the aisles,) and a visual image so big it feels like you're up on stage with Taylor.
Not to be missed. Concert of the Century.
#TSErasTour
There's more...Jesse Wendel 1:21 PM |
Labels: Concerts, Eras Tour, Film, Taylor Swift, TSErasTour