The Watering Hole: April 30 – “The Man Who Never Was”

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On April 30, 1943, the submarine HMS Seraph surfaced in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain to deposit a dead man planted with false invasion plans and dressed as a British military intelligence officer.

Submarine HMS Seraph - P219

This plot called Operation Mincemeat was the basis for the novel – The Man Who Never Was.

This is our Open Thread. Please feel free to present your thoughts on any topic that comes to mind.

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91 thoughts on “The Watering Hole: April 30 – “The Man Who Never Was””

  2. Happy Birthday, Gummitch! I hope your special day (and all your days) is filled with lots of joy, happiness, and love from the people you love. And thanks for helping to make The Zoo the fantastic place it is.

    • I’m back from the beach. Gorgeous weather after a wild first evening.

      Happy birthday Gummitch! Hope you had a wonderful vacation!

    • Wayne, due to Trump’s extraordinary natural grace and style, he chose exactly the wrong venue to step on his dick.

      I didn’t know he was a contortionist…

    • Guess who I found in the spam bin?

      HOUSE!! He’s okay, thank goodness.

      He left comments yesterday on Music Night and the froggy post.

      Sorry I didn’t check last night. :oops:

  6. Happy B-day Gummitch. You’re lucky, you get one this year. I don’t. The rapture is scheduled for October 21st, see, and my day is the 22nd — as usual I’m a day late and a dollar short. Oh well. Could be worse, I suppose, were it not for the FACT that the likelihood I’ll find myself gathered up in THAT particular malestrom rests way down there between slim and none. Thank all gods. Sotospeak.

  8. James Carville speculated that the WH released the long form precisely so that it would bolster Trump’s standing. Nothing could so completely reduce the entire GOP primary process to a Keystone Kops routine than having The Donald in the field. The best of all worlds would be to have him run as an independent, completely eliminating any chance of a GOP victory (see: Arrow’s Paradox of Voting.)

  10. Thanks for the birthday greetings, critters. I had a hell of a birthday party last all week. Lots of great food and wine and a very expensive self-birthday present.

    There were May 21 Judgment Day billboards all the way down I-5, but thankfully the most prominent billboard was right at the westbound end of the Bay Bridge, in San Francisco. It came up too fast for me to catch a photo, but it has been preserved here.

  12. Hmmh. Last I heard Jesus was returning on May 21, but the Rapture wasn’t till five months later on October 21. I guess time will reveal all. :)

  13. I wish I knew to whom the credit for the term should go, but I came across a great name for all those morons (racist or not) who still refuse to believe that Obama is a natural-born citizen. We need to start calling them “After-Birthers.”

  14. frugal, you are correct – judgment day is in May. The end/rapture is Oct.
    The understanding is – those who don’t measure up will have to be tortured for five months then left on earth as the others ‘rapture’ to the heavens.

    Judgment Day!
    May 21, 2011

    And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. Revelation 9:5

    The loving and forgiving gawd.

  15. G’day all. Happy Bday, Gummitch. And glad to hear House is ok. Wayne, I’m not positive but I think that term came from RUCerious.

  16. With the idiot Republican majority in the House, that “torture” crap probably means no debt limit increase which will basically shaft my S.S. income, my Medicare, and will probably cripple Deb’s teacher retirement somehow to the point where we will be forced out onto the street without food to live a bedraggled life until the day before my birthday. All of that with $5 gas so we can’t go anywhere either.

    Had a preacher-man knock on the door this morning, bible in hand, wanting to do whatever it is they do. We basically told him to fuck off. I don’t suppose that helped our case either. Oh well. :shock:

  17. their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. Revelation 9:5

    I forgot to note, btw, that the last scorpion that stung me was in Arizona. He did it when I accidentally stepped on him whilst barefoot. I said ouch, he died. Seems to go with the Revelation crap, actually. Scorpion had more torment than I did.

    Also, he was a Centroides sculpturatus, the little straw-colored “deadly” dude. I won. :)

  19. I’m not quite understanding what happens to those (we) left on earth? Do we get to just go about our business without having the annoying bible-thumpers knocking on the door?
    I realize we’re supposed to feel ‘left out’ of the whole ascending naked thing – of course I’d rather be left on earth naked.
    Does/will it work like that?

    • Ebb, I think we should keep to ourselves how much we’ll enjoy life without the “faithful.” Otherwise, they’ll try to ruin it for all of us by staying.

  20. of course I’d rather be left on earth naked.
    Does/will it work like that?

    Yes, yes it does.

    Please post your address so we can check in on you.

  21. I’m hoping that after the faithful are evacuated that God forgets about the place and leaves it to The Zoo for commune purposes. I do really think we can do better than the Bounty mutineers did on Pitcairn Island.

    For my part, I’ll fix piles of my extremely yummy Chile Rellenos for breakfast on Oct. 22nd.

    • frugal, that’s a great idea! Shayne will have the whole world for her zoo menagerie. :)

      I don’t think she’ll mind if we use half an acre or so…

  23. Full disclosure…

    I’ve always hated zoos.

    There, I said it. When I was small I thought it was interesting to see all these animals from around the world but something was gnawing at me. As I matured I knew the uncomfortableness sprang from the fact that I knew these animals were being animaljacked from their homes and put on display for us humans.

    I just find zoos such a sad place. My son wants us all to go to the San Diego Zoo for Badmoodgrandson’s first birthday next month. It’s killing me. I look into the eyes of the primates, especially, and they look so forlorn. Birds can’t soar. What gives humans this right?

    The original Twilight Zone had an episode with Roddy McDowall who was “captured” and zooified on another planet. Those old TZ episodes impacted this child of the 1950s.

    • Badmoodman, I totally understand. I used to love the zoo when I was a child, but at some point, I just couldn’t look at the animals in those cages.

      Fortunately, this Zoo is a people zoo, and Shayne would keep her menagerie in the wild — since we’ll have the whole world. :)

  24. I have one for breakfast just about every day. One egg, one chile, a little cheese, special seasonings, a little green sauce, and then comes heaven.

    Just roasted a bunch of fresh chiles this morning, in fact. I’m good for the week!

  25. There are some zoo exceptions, Bmm, rare as they may be. When I was in college, the newly opened zoo in Phoenix began its existence with a project to save the Arabian (I think it was Arabian) Oryx from extinction. The project was successful, and I believe the Oryx was released again into the wild a few decades later.

    I don’t recall where the California Condor was ‘saved’, but the population that was released several years ago near the Grand Canyon is apparently doing well — in spite of the idiots with guns who like to shoot them.

    If it weren’t for humans, there’d be no need for zoos. Rather a telling truism, I’d say.

  27. If it weren’t be for humans

    Got a wee bit o’ the pirate in ya today, eh matey?

    • Man, that’s a disappointing Hate Mail-a-Palooza.

      Not enough sucking of the president’s dick, and other weird sexual fantasies.

  29. The zoo as an integral part of rehabbing and releasing to the wild I agree with – just to have ‘nearly extinct in the wild’ on display – no.

    frugal, on the CACO

    With the success of the captive breeding program, led by the San Diego and Los Angeles zoos, attention turned to releasing some condors into the wild. Beginning in 1992, condors were released in former strongholds in southern California. In 1996, condors were released in Arizona, near the Grand Canyon. Monterey County, along the central California coast, was also part of the historical range of California Condor. In fact, Spanish explorer Father Antonio de la Ascension recorded the earliest known record for condors with his sighting in Monterey Bay in 1602. The type specimen was collected in Monterey County in 1797. In 1997, Ventana Wildlife Society began releasing California Condors on the Big Sur coast, in Monterey County. We are proud to join U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Peregrine Fund, National Park Service, the Zoological Society of San Diego, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the Oregon Zoo in re-establishing, monitoring, and managing wild populations of California Condors.

  31. The San Diego Wild Animal Park is more tolerable to visit than is the SD Zoo. At least it was 25 yrs ago when I took my youngest there for her third birthday.

    Thanks for the condor info, Ebb. Shows what CAN be done by well-intentioned people.

    I’m reminded of a line from a book I ran across decades ago and still have on my shelf. It reads,

    “The fact that a living being can vanish from this earth solely because of man’s improvidence and neglect is appalling, and the utter finality of it touches the consciousness of far too few.” ~George B. Schaller in Stones of Silence

  32. Last night on Maher’s program they showed a video clip of a GOP town hall meeting where the peoples got restless and loud with their representative.

    Andrew Breitbart had to chime in and let us all know that the video was partisan, edited, and staged. How does he know this? Because, as he said, “there’s the Think Progress logo in the upper right.”

    The irony of cherry-picking video clips was apparently lost on Breitbart. But someone did point out there was no one at the town hall meeting dressed as a pimp.

  34. A people zoo would be interesting. Put people in cages and let wild animals roam freely about, smacking their lips etc. The Republican Section could have an open dining room, I’m thinking.

  37. With luck, the GOP “species” would become as quickly extinct as carnivores everywhere would become well-fed and happy. Fair’s fair, after all.

  38. With luck, the GOP “species” would become as quickly extinct as carnivores everywhere would become well-fed and happy.

    Given that scenario – the sale of antacids would soar. Can only imagine GOoPers would be gristly. (and grisly they would look to the ‘outside’ world).

  39. A little carnivore indigestion would be a small price to pay to rid the world of Republicans. Besides, since most Republicans are “basically” stupid, that may well serve to adjust the pHuckabee pHactor upward enough to quell the bulk of the heartburn.

    Thinking out loud here, but enjoying it!

  41. We’re watching last week’s Doctor Who again, in preparation for watching this week’s episode.

    Stetson’s are cool.

  42. It’s a theory that could benefit from testing. How easy would it be to make a few cases of canned catfood from your typical Republican?

    Just wondering.

  46. Today’s LA Times crossword puzzle:

    51 Across: “Going Rogue” author

    I just couldn’t. It would be wrong on so many levels.

  47. frugal,
    I don’t know if it is still there, but there was a cannery in San Diego that would can a tuna that you caught (brought in?) and steam the results as you watched. It came to about $.12 per can back in 1966 and most of the meat came out as solid.

  48. This is good – posted at TP by mattandcrank:

    Obama thinks the story ends because he released his “birth certificate”. Unfortunately for him, we aren’t that stupid./s

    • Obama acknowledged in his dismissal of the birthers that for some idiots, the issue would never die. :D

      OTOH, this week’s Doctor Who was AWESOME!!!

  49. The vid is very humorous, Zoooey.
    ——-

    You watched this weeks episode of Dr. W already?

    Before gawd interrupted everything we were going to watch it on the (on-line) station Hooda’s son found.

  53. Cool gravatar, crypto, glad you showed up, I was beginning to think people had been raptured and left me alone here on the 3rd rock. And if the rapture was occurring I’d hide just so they wouldn’t mistake me for a “saved” person.

    • Sorry I drifted off. I had to get some things done, and now I need to get some school work done, since it’s due tomorrow.

      I’ll check back in a bit.

    • Oh, questions!

      Pachy, my avatar is a little house I found online — it was to show my support for House, until he showed up again (which he did). It is a totally cute house!

      Crypto, yep I’m selling my condo — quickly, I hope. That’s why I’ve been missing for such large chunks of time — finishing school & selling home.

  56. Don’t know about the housing market in the area around Moscow. I’m reasonably fortunate in that money’s from my dad’s sister will provide at least a year’s worth of payments, and that should be enough time to sell dad’s house. Meanwhile, I should have that house set up in an irrevocable trust by the end of next week, so that it will not be counted against dad’s assets when I’ve finally destroyed enough of his estate that he can finally move onto medicaid.

    Apple of my father’s eye I am: the only way I can ensure he has a lifetime of care is by obliterating his lifetime of savings. Like me, he was never very good with money, though I am the one left wondering why he should be punished or that. He was always an honest man who did the best he could for his family. But no amount of work on his part could ever earn enough to pay for his basic living and medical care in these his twilight years.

    But what a brutally cruel world we would have were we to require super wealthy people to pony up an extra percent or two of the income they raped from the world so that honest and hard working people like my father might avoid being thrown out on the street like garbage, shaking in grief and fear, to die in horror, pain and loneliness.

  59. Watching Donald Trump at the Correspondents’ Dinner while Seth Myers rips him to pieces. The Donald is not amused one bit. What a bitter fool.

  60. Happy Birthday Gummitch.

    I’ve got the Correspondent’s dinner on in the background while waiting for my cheesecake to finish. Seth Meyers was ripping on Trump about his hair, birtherism and Miss USA. He said Republicans love the Miss USA contest. Gives them options for Vice President. Trump was NOT amused. HaHaHa.

  61. Badmood: I suspect that it is the fools who are far more likely to be bitter. A wise person will at least be ironic.

    I personally look forward to a long campaign season of the CombOver getting his Wee-Willy-Winkie dished up to him with Mayo and Mustard on more than a few occasions.

  62. Wee-Willy-Winkie

    You are being mighty generous – microscopic perhaps a more apt description!
    (there seems to be a great deal of compensating going on with that dolt)

  64. He cracked up the President with ‘Trump says he has a great relationship with the Blacks and unless the Blacks are white family…”

    • I love how ‘the donald’ was sitting there like a fucking stone.

      Like Palin, he doesn’t understand that if one laughs along with the jokes, one diffuses said jokes. Looooooosers!!!!!

      • Oh man, that was priceless… I wish he would have got a specific dig in on Kyl’s “not meant to be an accurate statement”.. (or whatever it was..). Did he say something about that and I missed it?

        You can’t put a price on Donald Trump’s face. He has the look that says “I wouldn’t want to be Seth Meyer right now..”. His face said he wasn’t amused, and he’d make this man pay. I hope he has protection going home.. Seth that is..

        • Hi, muse. I’m glad you had a great time at the Coast. :)

          I only heard something about Kyl’s 90% comment, nothing about the “accurate statement” bullshit.

          Trump can put any look on his face that he wants, he’s been reduced to an impotent boob by the POTUS. Seth Meyers just drove in the final nail in the coffin.

  65. The ego is as big as the hair, Zooey. He’s the only one who takes himself seriously as a candidate.
    The current string of Town Hall meetings give me a glimmer of hope people are taking notice of the dumbing down of the country and willing to bring it back up to curb level. Then move to stand up and take the country back to some semblance of sanity/reality.

    • The only thing holding up that hair is the framework of the ego — and massive quantities of AquaNet. :D

      I am seeing a glimmer of hope for the people of this country, and I hope it isn’t just the glow from the lighted fart of some random jackass.

  66. It’s like having the family home for the holidays- hearing from 5th and House. Seeing a post from the great north Polar Bear. Life at the Zoo is like a nice cuppa tea – soothing and calming.

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