Open Thread October 23, 2023

Yesterday, I got to visit with Virgil and we got to play cards – there was a brand new deck. It kind of made me chuckle – because it included, besides the 52 cards and 2 jokers, a 55th card with tips on authenticating the cards. (You can look it up if you’re cutious; it’s Motor Brand #976.) But they were brand new and sturdy, which helped in shuffling. The drive was fine both ways. On the way down, I could see that it was the northbound lanes where the bridge was missing, and on the way back up I could see that they had done a quick-and-dirty paving and paint job which made it driveable just fine. Since Interstates are a part of the Federal Highway system, I should probably drop a thank-you note to Pete Buttigieg. Just now I’m pretty tired, but I may feel better later. I also noted that the missing bridge (at mile marker 107) is between two exits (104 and 108) both of which can take one to the Pueblo West neighborhood – that would be a heck of a lot shorter detour than going through Cañon City if it comes to that. Also, Virgil returns all greetings.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

SPLC – SPLC SUES LOUISIANA CITY ON BEHALF OF NAACP, CHALLENGING UNFAIR VOTING MAP
Quote – In Abbeville, as elsewhere, the makeup of voting maps can have a very tangible impact on the lives of voters. Local officials determine everything from whether a street is paved to how far someone has to travel to visit a park or playground – and how well maintained those public works might be. “There’s a complete difference or two different worlds in the city of Abbeville,” said Linda Cockrell, president of the Vermilion Parish NAACP chapter in Abbeville. “I was told that in the higher-up neighborhoods, city workers are in these neighborhoods at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning washing down the roads, removing trash, and everything else.”
Click through for details.The smaller the city, and the farther away from actual big cities it is, the truer that probably is too.

Civil Discourse – The Week Ahead
Quote – The most important pending question in Georgia is, when does the next trial get set, and will it include all of the remaining defendants? A September 14 scheduling order sheds a little light on that matter. It applies to all defendants other than Powell and Chesebro and orders the parties to complete initial discovery by October 6. We are well past that deadline. The Judge also gave the parties until December 1, just a bit more than a month away, to file all motions other than motions in limine. That means substantive motions…. The September order doesn’t set a hearing date for any of those motions. Presumably the Judge will set them once the motions are in…. Fani Willis could leave it up to the Judge to rule, but look for her to file a motion this week asking him to set that date. Remember, Willis was willing to try all of the defendants October 3. She’s ready to go.
Click through for what to expect. Since Both Ken andd Sidney have accepted plea deals, the trial supposed to start today will look different from the one we initially expected.

Food For Thought