With the Legal Subcommittee meeting of COPUOUS in Vienna a little over a week away (I’ll be attending this year), Laura Montgomery has a new paper out, and Christopher Johnson has some thoughts, too.
The New Special Counsel
Why Sessions didn’t appoint one.
It makes sense to me to put a seasoned prosecutor on the case within the department. With the I.G. report, they probably already have plenty of evidence to pursue. And McCabe is clearly worried. Good.
And yes, the FBI needs a thorough overhaul.
[Late-morning update]
McCabe lied four times to investigators.
[Update a couple minutes later]
What did Comey know about the Pulse nightclub terrorist, and when did he know it?
[Update a few minutes later]
Now here’s a former FBI agent worth providing funding for:
“I went through hell for a year and a half,” she said. “Andy made sure I couldn’t get out of the division.”
Gritz said that McCabe additionally made “nasty, false” comments about her in a meeting — “lying,” she said. “which is why he just got fired.”
“Andy” sounds like a real peach.
Thai Cuisine
The surprising reason there are so many Thai restaurants in America. Does any other country do this?
Coffee
One of the reasons I drink it; it may reduce coronary artery disease.
Not reasons I drink it? The taste, the after taste, and its affect on my alertness or mood in general, which is zero.
It’s Always Something
I ran out of hot water yesterday. Checked the heater, and the pilot was out. Relit it (piezoelectric igniter), and it wouldn’t stay lit. So I went to Home Depot and got a new thermocouple. After I replaced it, now it won’t light. So, either igniter, or not getting gas (neither of which should be the result of changing a thermocouple).
Sigh…
[Update a couple minutes later]
OK, I’m seeing a spark when I hit the button. Hoping that maybe I just have to clear some air out of the pilot line from when I removed the assembly to replace the thermocouple.
[Update a few more minutes later]
Disconnected the pilot line, definitely gas coming out of the valve. All I can think is that I clogged it somehow when I changed out the thermocouple. I’ll try inspecting and cleaning it.
[Update a couple minutes later]
I can blow through the line, but there’s a lot of resistance. Don’t know if that’s normal, or if it’s too much for the gas pressure to overcome.
[Update a few minutes later]
When I hook the line back up, and open the pilot valve, I can faintly smell gas at the tip, but I don’t hear a flow. It’s more like seeping, and probably not enough to sustain a flame. Not sure where the problem is, though. Might see if I can just replace it.
[Update a while later]
Took it apart, put it back together, tested it outside the unit, and saw a pilot flame. Put it back in and didn’t see much, but there was a dim light in there. I turned the heater on, and apparently there was sufficient pilot to make it work. It was probably working before, and I just hadn’t realized it…
JWST And The Media
Thoughts from Bob Zimmerman on the latest overrun and schedule slip, and the shoddy reporting of it.
King Versus Burwell
SCOTUS has essentially repudiated itself. Many of the decisions from the left side of it have been nakedly political.
The JWST
It’s delayed again, and over budget. Again.
I would have canceled it years ago. It was a mistaken concept from the get go. For what we’ve spent on this program, we could have had orbital servicing capability, obviating the need for the origami, and even allowing servicing in situ.
The New National Space Strategy
Thoughts on it from Laura Montgomery, with its implications for Outer Space Treaty interpretation.
Vascular Health In Mice
Rejuvenation through dietary supplements.
I’m already taking NAD+.