il miglior fabbro

From exotic Wichita, Bud Norman sums up the Masterpiece Cakeshop case correctly:

Those got-durned liberal fashion designers who decline to design dresses for President Donald Trump’s third First Lady deserve the same right, and so does any black baker who declines to decorate a cake with a confederate flag, and so does any homosexual baker who declines the Westboro Baptist Church’s request for a “God hate fags” cake. Outside of the legal arguments and here on the personal level, there’s no way of restricting one person’s liberty without eventually restricting the liberty of someone on the other side of political or cultural divide.

Public accommodation vs. free association. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. We'll have to see what Anthony Kennedy thinks.

Mene Mene Franken Upharsin

At the moment, Al Franken is calling reports that he is going to resign tomorrow premature, but he's gone and he knows it. You can't have half your caucus calling for you to resign and then expect to survive. He has been weighed and found wanting in the court of public opinion, and his continued presence in the Senate complicates the efforts of his party to keep the heat on Roy Moore. If Chuck Schumer wants Franken out, he'll be out. And Schumer wants him out.

So that means Mark Dayton will be appointing a successor. The Star Tribune believes Lt. Gov. Tina Flint "Abbatoir" Smith, former Planned Parenthood honcho, will get the nod as a caretaker and that a full-on raging battle for the seat will take place in the fall 2018 special election to fill the seat for the remaining two years of Franken's term. The notion is Smith will not be interested in staying in Washington. Are we sure of that? It's pretty nice in D.C. and I'm sure Planned Parenthood would love to have their own personal senator, beyond the 48 or so they already have.

So let's handicap the field:

Tina Flint Smith. Whether she'd want to stay or not, she'd be a completely loyal soldier for Schumer. She also would not likely get in the way of Amy Klobuchar's ambitions. I think there's a strong chance she'd get the nod.

Lori Swanson. Currently the attorney general, she's better at making waves and offering soundbites than Smith, but her prosecutor profile is perhaps a little too close to Klobuchar's for Amy's comfort. However, if Dayton wants to reward Swanson for her hard work as a DFL apparatchik by giving her a head start, this could happen.

Keith Ellison. Some of the more excitable conservative commentators think Ellison would be the pick, but I don't see it. I seriously doubt he could win a statewide election, and there have been enough rumors about his zipper issues over the years that he could get the same treatment Franken has received. He's reached his career apex as the congressman for CD-5 and he's smart enough to know it.

Betty McCollum. She's stayed in Washington for nearly 20 years by living inside the lapel pocket of Nancy Pelosi. If McCollum ran for statewide office, she'd have to speak. That wouldn't go well for her. No chance.

Ilhan Omar. The DFL has high hopes for her, but she's not ready. And Scott Johnson has a few questions for her that she's never really answered.

Chris Coleman. The outgoing St. Paul mayor, who wants Mark Dayton's job, but Tim Walz is standing in the way. I could see Coleman making the switch from the governor's race and take a shot at the seat in 2018, especially if Smith gets the nod and does not run. It's also possible for Walz to decide he'd rather run for the Senate, but I think he'll have a better chance running for governor.

John Choi. A darkhorse. Currently the Ramsey County attorney, he's been less overtly partisan than some of the other county attorneys and he's been generally successful in navigating a couple of high-profile cases, especially involving the scandals at the Archdiocese. He didn't get Jeronimo Yanez convicted, but sending a cop to jail is awfully tough to do. He could get the seat and hold it for 30 years.

Who do you think will get the nod? Cast your vote in the comments section!

I Wanna Destroy You

First, a little musical number:

We're into destroying things, and people, lately. In discussing the latest round of sexual harassment mongers, Victor Davis Hanson noticed it:

So what are the common pathologies to all these male icons — who are falling as fast as Confederate statutes a few months ago, in our earlier manifestation of collective moral frenzy?

I get nervous when collective moral frenzy gets rolling. It's pitchforks and torches all the way down these days and the capriciousness of it all is troubling. I hold no brief for any of the people accused; I'll also admit I am amused to see nasty, sanctimonious people like Al Franken get their indiscretions broadcast to a less-than-adoring public.

But still. . . ought not a moral imperative be involved? Is there a moral imperative involved? Are we sure? It's striking that Minnesota Public Radio hasn't just removed Garrison Keillor from its airwaves; instead, MPR and its parent company are wiping out any references to Keillor they have. It's the same notion as pulling down a Confederate statue; ought we be in the business of pretending things we now find unpleasant no longer can be mentioned?

Back to our song, written around 1980. Does this stanza ring out?

A pox upon the media
And everything you read
They tell you your opinions
And they're very good indeed

 That almost perfectly captures the argument of any critic of the MSM. I don't have a problem at all with calling down a pox on the poseurs and charlatans who tell me my opinions off their teleprompters. At the same time, can we find any coherent set of principles currently on offer? Or are we all about power -- taking it and using it? Because if we are, there's more to the song:

I wanna destroy you
And when I have destroyed you
I'll come picking at your bone
And you won't have a single atom left
To call your own

Personally, I don't have too many atoms other people would want to have, but still. If the only thing that matters is will, we're in a dangerous place.

Keyser Soze Strzok

Yeah, this is a problem:

A former top counterintelligence expert at the FBI, now at the center of a political uproar for exchanging private messages that appeared to mock President Donald Trump, changed a key phrase in former FBI Director James Comey's description of how former secretary of state Hillary Clinton handled classified information, according to US officials familiar with the matter.

Electronic records show Peter Strzok, who led the investigation of Hillary Clinton's private email server as the No. 2 official in the counterintelligence division, changed Comey's earlier draft language describing Clinton's actions as "grossly negligent" to "extremely careless," the sources said.

The drafting process was a team effort, CNN is told, with a handful of people reviewing the language as edits were made, according to another US official familiar with the matter.

Why does changing the verbiage matter? Back to the report:

The shift from "grossly negligent" to "extremely careless," which may appear pedestrian at first glance, reflected a decision by the FBI that could have had potentially significant legal implications, as the federal law governing the mishandling of classified material establishes criminal penalties for "gross negligence."

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, raised questions over why the change was made after receiving documents from the FBI last month, but the identity of who was behind the edit has not been reported until now.

Strzok appears to be at the center of a lot of things:

CNN has also learned that Strzok was the FBI official who signed the document officially opening an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, according to sources familiar with the matter. As the No. 2 official in counterintelligence, Strzok was considered to be one of the bureau's top experts on Russia.

But the news of Strzok's direct role in the statement that ultimately cleared the former Democratic presidential candidate of criminal wrongdoing, now combined with the fact that he was dismissed from special counsel Robert Mueller's team after exchanging private messages with an FBI lawyer that could be seen as favoring Clinton politically, may give ammunition to those seeking ways to discredit Mueller's Russia investigation.

The FBI lawyer in question is Lisa Page. Strzok was also having an affair with her. But there's more:

The FBI agent who was fired from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation team for sending anti-Donald Trump text messages conducted the interviews with two Hillary Clinton aides accused of giving false statements about what they knew of the former secretary of state’s private email server.

Neither of the Clinton associates, Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin, faced legal consequences for their misleading statements, which they made in interviews last year with former FBI section chief Peter Strzok.

And so who was in charge of the interview with Michael Flynn, now in the crosshairs for lying to the FBI? It would be our guy Strzok:

But another Strzok interview subject was not so lucky.

Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser, pleaded guilty last week to lying during an interview he gave on Jan. 24 to Strzok and another FBI agent. Circa journalist Sara Carter reported on Monday that Strzok took part in that interview with the retired lieutenant general.

And why does that matter?

At the time, Strzok was the FBI’s top investigator on the fledgling investigation into Russian interference in the presidential campaign. He was appointed to supervise that effort at the end of July 2016, just weeks after the conclusion of the Clinton email probe. CNN reported on Monday that as the FBI’s No. 2 counterintelligence official, Strzok signed the documents that officially opened the collusion inquiry.

The starkly different outcomes from Strzok’s interviews — a felony charge against Flynn and a free pass to Mills and Abedin — are sure to raise questions from Republicans about double-standards in the FBI’s two most prominent political investigations. FBI Director Christopher Wray will likely be pressed on the Strzok scandal on Thursday when he attends an oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.

Either we have a justice system, or we don't. Either we treat everyone in the same way, or we don't. If we don't, we're past the rule of law and fully into something entirely different. When federal agents are simultaneously political operatives and use their powers to absolve their friends and indict their enemies, we are in a truly dangerous place. Mueller and others associated with the FBI have been stonewalling Congress for months now, precisely because proper oversight would reveal such improprieties and lead to a public outcry against the schemes of those who are supposed to serve the cause of justice. And there's more:

Along with Justice Department attorney David Laufman, Strzok interviewed Clinton herself on July 2, 2016. The pair also interviewed Mills, Abedin and two other Clinton aides, Jake Sullivan and Heather Samuelson.

Summaries of the interviews, known as 302s, were released by the FBI last year.

A review of those documents conducted by The Daily Caller shows that Mills and Abedin told Strzok and Laufman that they were not aware of Clinton’s server until after she left the State Department.

“Mills did not learn Clinton was using a private server until after Clinton’s [Department of State] tenure,” reads notes from Mills’ May 28, 2016 interview. “Mills stated she was not even sure she knew what a server was at the time.”

Abedin also denied knowing about Clinton’s server until leaving the State Department in 2013.

“Abedin did not know that Clinton had a private server until about a year and a half ago when it became public knowledge,” the summary of Strzok’s interview with Abedin states.

But that wasn't true:

But undercutting those denials are email exchanges in which both Mills and Abedin either directly discussed or were involved in discussing Clinton’s server.

“hrc email coming back — is server okay?” Mills asked in a Feb. 27, 2010 email to Abedin and Justin Cooper, a longtime aide to Bill Clinton who helped set up the Clinton server.

“Ur funny. We are on the same server,” Cooper replied.

So is lying to the FBI a crime, or is it not? Here's James Comey on the matter in 2016:

Former FBI Director James Comey defended the Clinton aides’ inconsistent statements in a House Judiciary Committee hearing held on Sept. 28, 2016.

“Having done many investigations myself, there’s always conflicting recollections of facts, some of which are central [to the investigation], some of which are peripheral,” Comey told Jason Chaffetz, a former Utah congressman who served on the committee last year.

Chaffetz was not buying Comey’s dismissive response.

“I think she lied to everybody,” he said of Mills in an interview on Fox News the night of the Comey hearing.

“There’s direct evidence that she actually did know [about the server],” said Chaffetz, who added that Comey’s defense of Mills “makes no sense.”

If Michael Flynn should be brought to justice for lying to the FBI, then Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills should be, too. Either we have a justice system, or we have something else. It's increasingly clear we have something else.

Song of the day

Integrating my social media efforts:

High school. It was fun then. Still is.

A busy news weekend, but. . .

I think it can be dispensed with quickly enough. Three quick observations:

• I tend to think there's less to the news than meets the eye. Yes, the Senate passed a tax bill, but it's going to conference, so we don't know how things are going to look in the end. I'm amused to see the Democrats screaming about how slipshod the Senate bill was, complete with handwritten additions and whatnot. Do they not remember the Obamacare process? Further proof that politicians will say any damn thing to support their current argument.
• As for Robert Mueller claiming a scalp, it may not mean much. As has been pointed out elsewhere, most notably by Alan Dershowitz, by getting Michael Flynn to plead guilty to lying to the FBI, Mueller and his claque have established that their potential key witness is a liar. Nice work, gents.
• In truth, the most important news, at least around here, is the giant sinkhole in Oakdale, caused by a failed water main in the area. Since I-694 will be closed in the area for days, traffic is going to be a nightmare throughout the east metro. There's a much larger story here; our infrastructure is vulnerable virtually everywhere. I thought we were going to be spending billions, if not trillions, to fix our infrastructure following the 2008 financial crisis. Sure wonder where the hell all that money went.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Lambeau Bound Edition

Old dude, I'm going east tomorrow. I'm going to personally supervise the Packers getting back into shape! That's right, I'll be at Lambeau Field on Sunday!

And for a December game, it won't be -20 for a change!

That's because the weather service brought the heat, so I'm bringing the HYYYYYYYPPPE!

We'll be watching for you -- don't cause any incidents, okay?

I won't. But first we have some bidness. Watch me work!

Big XII Title Game, at Jerryworld. Oklahoma Sooners (-7) vs. TCU Horned Frogs. I know this game does not involve Alabama, but if TCU wins the game, it gives Alabama a back door into the playoffs. I don't want that to happen, but I think there is a chance it will. This game is essentially a TCU home game, as the Horned Frogs are only 15 miles or so from their campus in Fort Worth. Combine that with this game being a rematch, and you have to wonder how Oklahoma is going to find the way to make this happen. TCU 24, Oklahoma 21.

I've seen Baker Mayfield a few times. He's pretty good. TCU has a pretty good defense, but last time the Sooners put 38 up on the Horned Frogs and they never got into the game. A fast start for the Sooners would be death. Oklahoma 31, TCU 20.

B1G Title Game, at the House that Peyton Manning Built -- Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+5) vs. That School in Columbus. Once again, the Badgers are getting no respect, despite being an undefeated team. It's like this:

The critics are wearing blindfolds yet again! Ohio State has a problem entirely of their own making. They are so mad about what happened on the sidelines last weekend that I suspect they've lost some focus. No one cares about the camera guy who may or may not have hit J.T. Barrett. Combine that outrage with Ohio State's already noxious campaign to get into the playoff and you have to wonder whether they even realize there's going to be a team on the other side of the field. The team on the other side of the field is 12-0. The Badgers will win the most important game they have played in my lifetime. And still won't get any respect. Wisconsin vs. Everyone 35, Ohio State 17.

Remember that bit about getting jumped early? That's the key here. The only thing that makes me nervous about this Badgers team is their quarterback's bad habit of throwing careless interceptions early on. You can get by with that sort of thing against lesser Big Ten teams, but not the Buckeyes. The Badgers need to be crisp and ready to roll. I think they will be, but it's going to be a struggle. Badgers 27, Ohio State 24.

Minnesota Vikings (+3) vs. Hotlanta Falcons. So what's the next trick for the Fighting Keenums? The Vikings are clearly in control in the NFC North, but this is a game that will give them problems. The Falcons still have a potent offense and I question the ability of Trae Waynes to cover Mohamed Sanu. Everyone pays attention to Julio, but the other guy makes plays, too. I also think the Vikings are going to struggle with the running game -- I have called Atlanta's run defense their hidden strength. This game is a trap game for the Vikings. Let's see how the Vikings respond to a little adversity as they step up in class. Falcons 45, Vikings 31.

Bet the over, then? I'm not so sure about that. I think it will be closer than that, and lower scoring, too. But I think the Falcons are going to be a tough out at home. Falcons 24, Vikings 20.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers. I will be taking this game in at Lambeau, sitting with a part owner, my aunt. It's her birthday on Sunday and she will be expecting her employees to perform well on her behalf. Will it happen? Yes. Tampa is not a very good team, although they have talent. The Packers looked a lot better last week against Pittsburgh and I think Brett Hundley turned the corner. I will have a lot of fun regardless, but the Packers better win. You don't want to see my aunt when she's angry at her employees. Packers 45, Bucs 0.

Uh, no. I like the Packers in this one, but they aren't going to win by that margin. They will win comfortably, however. Packers 27, Bucs 17.

I think that's it. I have to pack my bag and get ready to go to Lambeau. Last time I was there, it looked like this:

I'm not saying it happens again, but you never know. Ben out!

Not a world I know

I watched the Today Show periodically when I was in high school and college, but it's not been part of my morning routine as an adult. As a result, I don't really know much about Matt Lauer, or Ann Curry, or Meredith Vieira, or any of the other players in the particular psychodrama going on right now. From what we've learned in recent days, Lauer is a scoundrel of the first order and maybe more than that.

What I do know is the world they inhabit has little to do with the world most of their viewers experience. The familiarity of television personalities is artificial and we really know nothing of their lives beyond the reach of the cameras. I also know this -- if you are a serious person, you should take the promises you make seriously, especially where Topic A is concerned. While I am hardwired to notice the physical attributes of all women, I'm a married man and therefore I shouldn't be trying to get into a physical relationship with any woman aside from my spouse. Cheating on one's spouse is a betrayal at the most basic level. Matt Lauer is a married man. If you are willing to betray someone you promise to share your life with, you aren't someone who can be trusted. We need to remember that.

Another tell

Garrison Keillor, expatriate:

“It’s astonishing that 50 years of hard work can be trashed in a morning by an accusation,” he said in a Facebook post Wednesday evening. “I always believed in hard work and now it feels sort of meaningless. Only a friend can hurt you this badly. I think I have to leave the country in order to walk around in public and not feel accusing glances.”

There is more to this story. From the Star Tribune article:

Although he stepped away from “Prairie Home,” Keillor retained a producer credit and continued to record his daily feature, “The Writer’s Almanac,” for syndication by MPR’s distribution arm, St. Paul-based American Public Media.

MPR said it would halt that feature. It also will separate itself from the Pretty Good Goods online catalog, which sells Keillor merchandise, and the website PrairieHome.org.

“I’m in shock,” new host Thile wrote on Twitter. “I know nothing beyond what’s contained in the MPR statement but I trust that the proper steps are being taken.”

Minnesota Public Radio wouldn't turn Keillor into a nonperson and disavow his brand entirely if there weren't. If Keillor needs to leave the country, it's not because an ambivalent mob is at his door. Keillor was the biggest cash cow MPR has ever had, and likely ever will have. The people on the MPR board are all highly experienced business executives. The board wouldn't cut ties with someone as important as Keillor has been to MPR based on a hearsay single incident. And Keillor knows that. There's something else going on. We won't find out what it is right away, but we will find out. Stay tuned.

Game on

Ace Commenter Gino had the idea:

time for a Perve Pool. name 5 creeps who are going down before the end of the year.

i'll go...

Anderson Cooper
Roger Goodell
Geraldo Rivera
Chuck Schumer
Rahm Emmanuel

I'll play. I must say Gino has taken the favorite in the clubhouse. Geraldo doth protest too much lately. I would be more surprised if Geraldo wasn't one.

My five:

Stephen Colbert
Bill de Blasio
Joe Biden (hanging curve ball, amirite?)
Bill Nye
Ted Lieu

You can play, too, in the comment section. Pick your five. We'll post 'em and see what happens. Have at it!

Robespierre Goes to Lake Wobegon

I don't much care about Matt Lauer, but Garrison Keillor getting the pipe is a story:

Garrison Keillor, the force behind the popular “A Prairie Home Companion” show, was fired by Minnesota Public Radio over inappropriate behavior claims.

The radio station received a complaint about improper actions with an employee while he oversaw the popular Saturday afternoon radio show, the station said in a lengthy statement. He retired from it last year.

“MPR takes these allegations seriously and we are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and supportive work environment for all employees and everyone associated with MPR,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

The station has cut ties with Keillor’s private companies, the statement continued.

Truth be told, I'm not surprised at all. Keillor has been a hateful crank for at least 25 years. The tell for me was the publication of The Book of Guys, which I always assumed was an admission of sins and/or cry for help rather than a work of satire. Misanthropes are the way they are for a reason, and the reason is usually self-loathing. I'm sure we'll learn more about the particulars in the coming days, but Keillor has only intermittently tried to disguise his bile for a long time now. Let's just say this moment has been coming, and in the current environment Keillor was a high-probability target for the tumbrels.

Need to know basis

Ann Althouse, making a point that needs to be made:

"Don’t get in the elevator with him, you know, and the whole every female in the press corps knew that, right, don’t get in elevator with him."

"Now people are saying it out loud. And I think that does make a difference."

Said newswoman Cokie Roberts, speaking about John Conyers. The question, of course, is why didn't she or any of the other women in the press corps say it out loud? And what are you still not saying out loud?

That's for Cokie to know and you to find out. If she thinks you should. Or you can take the stairs.

Top of the world

The day of reckoning approaches:

North Korea said Wednesday that it fired a brand-new intercontinental ballistic missile into the waters off Japan, ending a more than two-month hiatus by Pyongyang and threatening to ramp up tensions with the U.S. and in the region.

In a nationally televised broadcast, North Korea’s state television said that it had successfully fired a more advanced ICBM, which it dubbed the Hwasong-15 and which it said was capable of reaching any point on the U.S. mainland, in a launch personally ordered by leader Kim Jong Un.

Mr. Kim was quoted by state media as saying that, with the success of the new missile, “We have finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force.”

Independent experts said that the launch sent a North Korean missile higher than ever before, demonstrating a trajectory that could put Washington, D.C., in range. It triggered an unusually robust reaction from South Korea, which quickly responded with a battery of missile launches of its own.

So this regime can now reach just about anyplace in the United States they'd like. Then again, there's this revelation concerning a North Korean soldier who defected:

A doctor who operated on him at the Ajou University Hospital after he was rescued by South Korean troops told reporters that "an enormous number" of parasites were found in the soldier’s body, including an 11-inch worm. Oh was also described by medics as a "nice guy" who liked American movies and TV shows and South Korean K-pop music. 

The worms are worms, but they are also a metaphor. I suspect the gig is just about up for Kim Jong-Un and his pals, but they are going to give us the full Cagney:

We can go around casting for recriminations until the day the bomb hits. I don't care which former president you choose to blame, because it could be anyone from Bill Clinton forward. Trump gets to deal with the problem. He says he will. We're at the point where it can't really wait much longer.

Where the (damaged) door hits you

A curious tale coming out of Dinkytown:

Demry Croft, the sophomore quarterback who after Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin asked Gophers coach P.J. Fleck for his release from the program, on Monday night said he’ll transfer from Minnesota and that he was falsely accused of damaging a door, which led to a suspension early in the season.

“After this semester ends I will be transferring from the University of Minnesota,’’ Croft posted in a statement on Twitter. “Due to the unfortunate situation I have decided to leave the football program and the University of Minnesota. I was falsely accused of damaging a door. Which I was indefinitely suspended for. The video clearly shows my innocence. Which has created a very uncomfortable environment. Which my family and I have decided to depart from the University and start a new chapter.’’

Croft in his statement also thanked former Gophers coach Jerry Kill for recruiting him and the current staff for this season.

No word on whether the damaged door was caused by Croft not carrying his oar properly. It's far more likely that Croft is getting run off because Fleck is bringing in a new quarterback. It's possible Fleck will succeed here, but his first year has been something less than, well, elite.

In which I actually agree with the Star Tribune editorial board

It's rare, but the Strib editorial board is reading Al Franken's modified limited hangout properly:

The Minnesota Democrat said in one interview it was important "that we listen to women," but then refuted the story of Leeann Tweeden, the USO entertainer who accused him of shoving his tongue down her throat during a rehearsed "kiss." He recalls "a normal rehearsal," but didn't elaborate. On the subsequent allegations of women who say he groped them during photos — specifically, that he grabbed their buttocks — Franken apologized, but for what, exactly?

He said he does not recall groping and said he "would never intentionally" squeeze or grope a woman but often hugs people. Is he suggesting these women could not distinguish between a friendly embrace and groping? Or that at his age he somehow groped unintentionally? Can one credibly apologize for acts without acknowledging they occurred?

Yep. And there's more:

Under such circumstances, Franken's apology is less a statement of accountability and more akin to "I'm sorry for what you think I did." 

Don't ask Al what he thinks of you, he might not give the answer that you want him to.

My guess -- the Dems and their allies don't really want Al Franken to be the hill on which they die. I suspect others have done far worse things than Franken, who as always is more of an opportunist than anything else. You can safely assume a lot of other people in the 202 area code have stories that they would prefer are not shared. Franken also does not face the voters until 2020. He's dearly hoping the news cycle will move on. Most likely, it will.

Weekend wrapup

Sort of a lightning round, I guess:

• Apparently saving John Conyers and Al Franken is more important than defeating Roy Moore; that's the best conclusion I can draw from this weekend's latest political machinations. Sexual misconduct of varying degrees brings the ick factor, but it's not good form for Conyers to end his long career with his pants around his ankles. And, apparently, Al Franken does enjoy the droit du seigneur and can get by with the random grope because his followers were able to manufacture enough votes in 2008 to get him over the top, so to speak. The Dems were hoping to steal a seat in Alabama, but if they have to protect their own people from accusations over their sexual conduct, they aren't going to be able to attack Moore's long past predations. It's a tough gig to go full-on Victorian when your entire party is about smashing conventions most of the time.
• I usually leave the football ranting to Benster, but I am amused at the transparent machinations of College Football, Inc., LLC, in trying to keep a lid on the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers don't play a particularly marketable style of football but are nonetheless undefeated, a claim no other team in the so-called Power 5 can make. From what I can tell, the only team in the Big Ten that is allowed to be discussed in polite company is Ohio State, who must stop the Badgers to prevent them from gaining a national audience. It would not do for the vaunted Committee to leave the Badgers on the outside if they win the Big Ten Championship, so something must be done. ESPN has invested a lot of coin in the Southeastern Conference, and their prerogatives must be at the forefront. The Big Ten is in bed with Fox, so a representative that isn't Ohio State is a problem. 
• Must protect precious. Must protect precious.
• Time sells itself to a company associated with the Koch Brothers. It will be interesting to see if we see a change in how Time Magazine (yes, they are still in business) operates now.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Time to Be Elite, Boys and Girls, Edition

All right, I have returned from Galesburg and I am fully prepared to be elite!

So that wasn't you who made the air smell like manure on Monday?

No, but I can see how you were confused. You're easily confused these days. D does stand for dementia, right?

Not yet. But it gives me something to shoot for.

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving today, I always think of the feast to come:

Bon Appetit!

Tasty.

If you don't like being with your family today, remember, it could be worse. You could be a Lions fan!

I wouldn't wish that on anyone. How cruel.

Be thankful for you life, Geritol Fan. Be thankful for the HYYYYYYYYPPPPE! And watch me work!

Minnesota Vikings (-3.5) vs. Detroit LOLions. Well, the Vikings have been having a season that has been going much better than many observers would have expected. They are in control in the NFC North and show no signs of letting the Lions back into the driver's seat. There is one problem, though. Case Keenum is getting a lot of credit for the success of the Vikings; some of this credit is unwarranted. More credit should be given to the organizational stability of the Vikings; Rick Spielman has made some good personnel decisions and the Vikings defense has been quietly playing very well. The Lions are a team that gets by on their ability to rally in the 4th quarter. While that's an impressive trait, it's hard to sustain. I expect this game to be close, but I think the Vikings should not plan on coming home with a victory. Lions 31, Vikings 29.

The Lions are a pretty good outfit, but if you line them up they don't really match up well in this game. Darius Slay needs to take Adam Thielen out of the game, but I'm not sure he can do that. Neither team runs the ball that well, so I expect a lot of passes. That should favor the Lions, but not today. Vikings 27, Lions 23.

That School in Columbus (-12.5) vs. Michigan Harbaughs. The Champions of the West are currently 3rd in the East, so if you're confused, ask Jim Delaney. We will talk a little more next week about That School in Columbus, but this is a game they can't overlook. Michigan looked pretty good in Madison last weekend, but eventually the Badgers wore them down. This game is Michigan's Super Bowl. As is my custom, I will pick against the Buckeyes and hope that the administration sees fit to remove Urban Meyer after the season is over. Michigan 24, That School in Columbus 12.

There was a famous quote attributed to Henry Kissinger, when he was discussing the 1980s era war between Iran and Iraq. He said the best outcome would be if both sides lost. That's generally how most Big Ten fans feel about this game. On balance, I prefer Michigan as a school and a program, but on the field you have to assume the Buckeyes will get it done this time. Ohio State 31, Michigan 27.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (-17.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat. P.J. Fleck is the gift that keeps on giving, but lately his Elite Rowers of the Boat have been capsizing with alarming frequency. So he's gone back to the source of great inspiration:

You want to get some, you'd better bring some, there, P.J.! The Badgers will not be looking ahead to the Big Ten Championship Game. I freely admit this game is going to be difficult, because the Badgers have not started well in most games this season. I also expect the Elite Rowers of the Boat to jump out quickly. But the Badgers should wear them down, like they've done to every other opponent on their schedule. The Badgers should win and might get some help this weekend. Badgers 31, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 17.

The Gophers aren't bereft of talent, but it doesn't add up to much. I think the Badgers are going to force Gophers quarterback Demry Croft to win the game. I don't think he can. And while the Gophers have some talent, especially on their defensive line, the typical Badger attrition strategy will work as designed. Badgers 38, Gophers 14.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (+14) vs. Pittsburgh Stillers. Packers fans, I have good news for you. I'll be going to Green Bay next Sunday to whip them into shape. Meanwhile, the Pack has an unpleasant trip to Pittsburgh to deal with. As strange as this may sound, this is going to be a difficult game for the Steelers. The long break they had might have sapped some of their momentum. And as bad as the Packers looked against the Ravens, I know they can play better. Let's just hope my trip to Lambeau is going to have a less of a hostile feeling. Packers 24, Steelers 7.

Uh, no. Are yinz nuts? I love my Packers, but as this photo from last week's game indicates, things aren't so great:

If you look carefully, you'll see Davante Mays fumbling

The NFL being the NFL, I could see this going weird, but the Pittsburgh defense will have our guy Hundley even more befuddled than he was last week. Not sure what you do about that. I'm just hoping he doesn't get injured, because if Joe Callahan gets into the game, it will look like this:

I remember the bad old days. Yes, I do. Steelers 28, Packers 10.

Oh, ye old dude of little faith! Have a Happy Thanksgiving. And if you don't like your family, watch football! Ben out!

Yep

Ann Althouse, right to the point:

Expendable

Safe bet

There will be more of these:

A woman says Al Franken pulled her in tightly and put his hand on her buttocks in 2010 while posing for a picture at the Minnesota State Fair, the second allegation of improper conduct against the Democrat and first involving his time as a senator.

Lindsay Menz told CNN last week for a report broadcast Monday that the interaction with the Minnesota senator made her feel “gross.” She said she immediately told her husband that Franken had “grabbed” her bottom and that she posted about it on Facebook.

It's not particularly difficult to figure out that a guy who treats people badly for a living, as Franken repeatedly demonstrated during his comedy career, would not place a lot of value on human dignity.

Franken’s office did not respond to repeated Associated Press messages seeking comment.

With the Capitol empty due to Thanksgiving break, reaction to the latest allegation against Franken were muted compared to an outcry last week — and Democrats nationally and in Minnesota were silent.

Of course. There will be other accusers, though. And the silence won't be sustainable forever.

Childhood fears

I was five years old in the summer of 1969. If you watched the news then, and I did, you would see plenty of amazing things. I didn't understand them all that well, but in the midst of the Apollo 11 triumph and the euphoria of Woodstock, the one guy I remember the best was Charles Manson, who died yesterday at the age of 83.

Manson was the monster under my bed personified. I was convinced that he was coming to Wisconsin to kill me and my family. My parents tried to reassure me that I was almost certainly wrong about my belief, but it stuck with me. It was lurid stuff:

Manson did not commit the murders himself; instead he persuaded his group of followers to carry out the killings. The crimes received frenzied news coverage, because so many lurid and sensational elements coalesced at the time — Hollywood celebrity, cult behavior, group sex, drugs and savage murders that concluded with the killers scrawling words with their victims’ blood.

Manson's lethal followers looked a lot like the young adults I'd see walking the streets of Appleton, Wisconsin. While they never made it to Appleton, they were on our family television at 5:30 every afternoon:

Manson and four of his followers — Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles “Tex” Watson — were convicted of murdering actress Sharon Tate, the wife of movie director Roman Polanski, in their Bel-Air home on Aug. 9, 1969, along with four others.

Watson had been a high school football star. Krenwinkel a former Sunday school teacher. Van Houten a homecoming princess from Monrovia. And Atkins once sang in her church choir. Linda Kasabian, a pregnant 20-year-old with a baby daughter, who said she was asked to go along that night because she was the only one with a valid driver’s license, testified against the others in return for immunity from prosecution. Atkins died in 2009 in prison; the others remain incarcerated.

As I left my childhood behind, I didn't fear Manson and his followers, but the wild-eyed image of Manson himself, compared with the dead eyes of his acolytes, is still jarring:

Cold blooded

As is the description of their crimes:

Tate, 26, who was eight months pregnant, pleaded with her killers to spare the life of her unborn baby. Atkins replied, “Woman, I have no mercy for you.” Tate was stabbed 16 times. “PIG” was written in her blood on the front door.

It's difficult to understand evil of this sort. You can lay out all manner of rationales and explanations for what caused Manson to become the monster he was -- the linked obituary from the Los Angeles Times lays out the horrific events of Manson's childhood in detail -- but as always, there's the matter of free will. Manson chose his path, and while he was able to control his acolytes, they chose their paths as well. The childhood fears I had of Charles Manson weren't his responsibility -- Manson didn't ask Walter Cronkite to discuss his case every night, although he surely didn't mind it, either. But it became part of who I am today. And as I chose my own path, I had to put such fears away. They don't arise that often any more, but they will always remain.