You're quite right that we shouldn't jump to conclusions about Baldwin. Well said. However, something smells strongly of aging fish. I'm a gun guy, NRA Instructor, collector of old Berettas and reloader of ammo for many years. I'm familiar with prop firearms; I use them in some of my classes. The whole point of a prop firearm is that you can't hurt anyone with it. The one that killed Brandon Lee was a standard gun loaded with a blank, but it had a bullet lodged in the barrel from a previous squib load. Before we can have a good idea of what happened with Baldwin, we need a lot more information.
Look: I think everyone can agree that Alec Fucking Baldwin is a solid gold, weapons grade douche bag. I want to point out that the Left is playing by one set of rules and the Right is playing by a completely different set. OK so let’s play the perennial “What If…” game, shall we? Imagine what if this had happened to, say, the late Charleton Heston? Adam Baldwin? James Woods? Tom Selleck? To ask the question is to answer it.
I have been a defense attorney (and Public Defender!) for over 30 years. You are absolutely right we can't presume guilt. Still:
New Mexico Statutes 30-2-3. Manslaughter
Current as of: 2020 | Check for updates | Other versions
Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice.
Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 30-2-3
Felony: A crime carrying a penalty of more than a year in prison.
A. Voluntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion.
Whoever commits voluntary manslaughter is guilty of a third degree felony resulting in the death of a human being.
B. Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.
Whoever commits involuntary manslaughter is guilty of a fourth degree felony.
Sounds like 4th degree felony involuntary manslaughter is possible. I'm not sure "it was an accident" cuts it. Don't they have prop men and firearms guys who handle this? In other words, before the scene is shot, the gun guy checks the gun and THEN hands it to the actor? Doesn't Alec know not to point a weapon at someone?
Speaking of Fauci lying: He lied under oath. As did McCabe, Comey, Brennan and Clapper. Not one of them prosecuted. Does Fauci get his pension too?
I can't help but compare it with the prosecutions of the Jan. 6 protesters (noting Baldwin's rant) getting jail time for "parading," and sentences harsher than even DOJ is asking for from judges who should recuse themselves for just that reason: a lack of impartiality. It is now beyond dispute that Fauci lied. Under oath. He lied to Congress, as did Brennan and Clapper, a five-year felony. Perjury deserves more than mere obloquy.
The American Citizen is "paying for it, in every possible sense". A mind-boggling end to the week.
I’m commenting on the weekdays newsletter in general, rather than this one in particular: I receive many daily newsletters, but WtHIJT immediately became a favorite must-read. It joined other favorites to form my current newsletter triumvirate, consisting of WtHIJT, Jim Geraghty’s Morning Jolt, and Ben Domenech’s The Transom. I hungrily devour each of these every weekday morning. Throw in Kevin Williamson’s The Tuesday (which, not surprisingly, arrives in my box every… Tuesday), and you have the entire list of morning newsletters I never fail to read. Coincidentally — or not coincidentally, depending on one’s perspective — I pay for a subscription to access each one of them; I believe in supporting writers whose work I enjoy.
TL;DR:
Great newsletter! Please keep it up! Your penchant for horror movies notwithstanding — I can’t abide most of them — I’ll keep eating it up with a smile on my face.
One more comment, this one relevant to today’s WtHIJT:
Talking about the sci-fi novel masterpiece “Dune” was one of the things that kept my only son (he has two sisters) and me relatively sane during my messy divorce 11 years ago. I first read “Dune” when an uncle gave me a copy; I was 12, and I’ve loved and re-read it ever since, for 42 years. I was gratified when my son also took to the book at about the same age, and he and I have had many enjoyable and bonding discussions about “Dune” and its lore.
My son and I also share a love for the movies of Denis Villeneuve, and so we were overjoyed to learn that Denis planned to remake “Dune” — it couldn’t be any worse than David Lynch’s execrable treatment, could it?
It isn’t surprising, then, that my son and I made plans long in advance to see Villeneuve’s “Dune” at the first opportunity. The background information above is offered partly to indicate that we know the novel that’s the basis for the movie quite well, and that we went into it with extremely high hopes for what Denis might make of it.
My son and I talked for a long time after finishing the movie, and our consensus is that it’s “pretty good”. I think “Blade Runner: 2049” and others of his movies had both of us hoping for more from Villeneuve, but what we got was pretty good, and very promising for what future movies in the series might bring. Each of us was impressed by how faithful Denis was to the novel we love.
In that light, I honestly can’t figure out why Villeneuve chose to cast a woman as Liet Kynes. Sharon Duncan-Brewster is a great actress, so this might simply be founded in dissonance with my long-held personal image of Kynes — a central figure in Herbert’s tale. To my mind, it’s one of very few mis-castings in the movie.
the Husband loves Dune and rereads it every year or so. I burned out after reading Dune Messiah, and occasionally try rereading it to see if it sparks devotion as I age. Liet always was vaguely teutonic in my head-cannon, but I thought the actress did fine. Hubby was less sold on Jason Momoa, not appreciating the ahem *finer qualities* I did, as Duncan Idaho although he conceded that the interactions between Momoa and Chalemont sold their mentor/friend relationship. Oscar Isaac's Beard got an A+ rating.
Agree that what happened on set of Alec Baldwin's movie was a tragedy. Also agree that we need to wait for all the facts. Additionally agree that he is a rage-a-holic that dishes out bitter and nasty invective at will & is extremely judgmental.
But I also think that this is a grievous burden for him (or anyone) to have to live under for the rest of his life. Nothing can take that away. Perhaps if those groups/types he hates show compassion & understanding it will result in the biggest change of his life.
I am praying for him to find some sense of humility & ultimately some sense of peace.
Alec Baldwin was the producer of the film. He was neglectful of safety protocol on set. He did not check the gun before he fired it, when it was in his hands.
You're quite right that we shouldn't jump to conclusions about Baldwin. Well said. However, something smells strongly of aging fish. I'm a gun guy, NRA Instructor, collector of old Berettas and reloader of ammo for many years. I'm familiar with prop firearms; I use them in some of my classes. The whole point of a prop firearm is that you can't hurt anyone with it. The one that killed Brandon Lee was a standard gun loaded with a blank, but it had a bullet lodged in the barrel from a previous squib load. Before we can have a good idea of what happened with Baldwin, we need a lot more information.
Good Friday reporting.
I'm seeing Dune this afternoon (IMAX, as the good lord intended) and I'll let you know whether you're right about it being "pretty good."
Just because Alec Baldwin is a killer doesn't neccesarily make him a murderer. But it does make him a killer.
Wait - you couldn't see the President's New Podium? All the best people could see him gripping it with both hands.
Have a good weekend!
Trump 2016: "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK?"
Baldwin 2021: "Big talk, Orange Potato, but let's see which one of us has the balls to actually do it!"
Look: I think everyone can agree that Alec Fucking Baldwin is a solid gold, weapons grade douche bag. I want to point out that the Left is playing by one set of rules and the Right is playing by a completely different set. OK so let’s play the perennial “What If…” game, shall we? Imagine what if this had happened to, say, the late Charleton Heston? Adam Baldwin? James Woods? Tom Selleck? To ask the question is to answer it.
I have been a defense attorney (and Public Defender!) for over 30 years. You are absolutely right we can't presume guilt. Still:
New Mexico Statutes 30-2-3. Manslaughter
Current as of: 2020 | Check for updates | Other versions
Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice.
Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 30-2-3
Felony: A crime carrying a penalty of more than a year in prison.
A. Voluntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion.
Whoever commits voluntary manslaughter is guilty of a third degree felony resulting in the death of a human being.
B. Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.
Whoever commits involuntary manslaughter is guilty of a fourth degree felony.
Sounds like 4th degree felony involuntary manslaughter is possible. I'm not sure "it was an accident" cuts it. Don't they have prop men and firearms guys who handle this? In other words, before the scene is shot, the gun guy checks the gun and THEN hands it to the actor? Doesn't Alec know not to point a weapon at someone?
Speaking of Fauci lying: He lied under oath. As did McCabe, Comey, Brennan and Clapper. Not one of them prosecuted. Does Fauci get his pension too?
I can't help but compare it with the prosecutions of the Jan. 6 protesters (noting Baldwin's rant) getting jail time for "parading," and sentences harsher than even DOJ is asking for from judges who should recuse themselves for just that reason: a lack of impartiality. It is now beyond dispute that Fauci lied. Under oath. He lied to Congress, as did Brennan and Clapper, a five-year felony. Perjury deserves more than mere obloquy.
The American Citizen is "paying for it, in every possible sense". A mind-boggling end to the week.
Have a good weekend.
I’m commenting on the weekdays newsletter in general, rather than this one in particular: I receive many daily newsletters, but WtHIJT immediately became a favorite must-read. It joined other favorites to form my current newsletter triumvirate, consisting of WtHIJT, Jim Geraghty’s Morning Jolt, and Ben Domenech’s The Transom. I hungrily devour each of these every weekday morning. Throw in Kevin Williamson’s The Tuesday (which, not surprisingly, arrives in my box every… Tuesday), and you have the entire list of morning newsletters I never fail to read. Coincidentally — or not coincidentally, depending on one’s perspective — I pay for a subscription to access each one of them; I believe in supporting writers whose work I enjoy.
TL;DR:
Great newsletter! Please keep it up! Your penchant for horror movies notwithstanding — I can’t abide most of them — I’ll keep eating it up with a smile on my face.
One more comment, this one relevant to today’s WtHIJT:
Talking about the sci-fi novel masterpiece “Dune” was one of the things that kept my only son (he has two sisters) and me relatively sane during my messy divorce 11 years ago. I first read “Dune” when an uncle gave me a copy; I was 12, and I’ve loved and re-read it ever since, for 42 years. I was gratified when my son also took to the book at about the same age, and he and I have had many enjoyable and bonding discussions about “Dune” and its lore.
My son and I also share a love for the movies of Denis Villeneuve, and so we were overjoyed to learn that Denis planned to remake “Dune” — it couldn’t be any worse than David Lynch’s execrable treatment, could it?
It isn’t surprising, then, that my son and I made plans long in advance to see Villeneuve’s “Dune” at the first opportunity. The background information above is offered partly to indicate that we know the novel that’s the basis for the movie quite well, and that we went into it with extremely high hopes for what Denis might make of it.
My son and I talked for a long time after finishing the movie, and our consensus is that it’s “pretty good”. I think “Blade Runner: 2049” and others of his movies had both of us hoping for more from Villeneuve, but what we got was pretty good, and very promising for what future movies in the series might bring. Each of us was impressed by how faithful Denis was to the novel we love.
In that light, I honestly can’t figure out why Villeneuve chose to cast a woman as Liet Kynes. Sharon Duncan-Brewster is a great actress, so this might simply be founded in dissonance with my long-held personal image of Kynes — a central figure in Herbert’s tale. To my mind, it’s one of very few mis-castings in the movie.
the Husband loves Dune and rereads it every year or so. I burned out after reading Dune Messiah, and occasionally try rereading it to see if it sparks devotion as I age. Liet always was vaguely teutonic in my head-cannon, but I thought the actress did fine. Hubby was less sold on Jason Momoa, not appreciating the ahem *finer qualities* I did, as Duncan Idaho although he conceded that the interactions between Momoa and Chalemont sold their mentor/friend relationship. Oscar Isaac's Beard got an A+ rating.
Agree that what happened on set of Alec Baldwin's movie was a tragedy. Also agree that we need to wait for all the facts. Additionally agree that he is a rage-a-holic that dishes out bitter and nasty invective at will & is extremely judgmental.
But I also think that this is a grievous burden for him (or anyone) to have to live under for the rest of his life. Nothing can take that away. Perhaps if those groups/types he hates show compassion & understanding it will result in the biggest change of his life.
I am praying for him to find some sense of humility & ultimately some sense of peace.
Alec Baldwin was the producer of the film. He was neglectful of safety protocol on set. He did not check the gun before he fired it, when it was in his hands.