As ISIS continues its struggle to maintain its relevance in the virtual world as it loses more and more territory and any semblence of being a "state" in the physical world, it has added a new feature: A call to women to participate in launching attacks.

In a new edition of its Arabic language newspaper, the terrorist group told female supporters it was an “obligation” for them to wage physical jihad.

“Today, in the context of the war against the Islamic State, it has become necessary for female Muslims to fulfil their duties on all fronts in supporting the mujahedeen in this battle,” the article said, adding that women should “prepare themselves to defend their religion by sacrificing themselves by Allah”.

Mike Pence tweeted why he left the football game today. He said he and Trump "will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem."

Can someone please tell him the words dignity and Trump are oxymorons?

Much more pleasant: Watching the Florida Gators fans honor Tom Petty at the game in his home town of Gainesville:

The 2015 ISIS video showing the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians on a beach in Sirte, Libya was one of its most brutal. It featured an English-speaking spokesman who sounded American. One of the big mysteries was his identity -- and which beach the killings occurred on.

Libya police have now identified him as Abu Amer al-Jazrawi. He is deceased. (Once again, the U.S. got it wrong, as I suggested here).

The "full details" of the slaughter seem to mostly have been supplied by detainees under interrogation. One says he was located behind the camera as it was being filmed. The story is available on the group's Facebook page, in Arabic. The translation on FB is terrible. The beach is the one behind the Mahari hotel in Sirte (the same one where 50 plus Gaddafi followers were killed in 2011.)

Yesterday, prosecutor's office in Libya announced that detained ISIS members disclosed the location of the graves and details of the massacre. They were arrested the last week. Authorities went to the site and uncovered the bodies.[More...]

Trump's latest tweet about North Korea is causing a fuss:

President Donald Trump on Saturday lamented decades of "failed" foreign policy with North Korea, saying "only one thing" will work.

"Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid ... hasn't worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, makings fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!," Trump wrote on Twitter.

There is a lot of media speculation that John Kelly will be resigning and leaving the Trump Administration. This is very disconcerting to many because it leaves no one to babysit the man with the desk in the Oval Office.

Hurricane Nate is on track to make landfall this evening.

The storm is now packing maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. It is moving speedily to the north at 26 mph.

Hurricane warnings are in place from Grand Isle, La., to the Alabama border with Florida. This includes the city of New Orleans, which has prompted the mayor of the Crescent City to issue mandatory evacuations for parts of the area.

What a brutal year for hurricanes. Here is the 10:00 am forecast.

The New York Times has released an extensive report with sexual harassment allegations against media honcho Harvey Weinstein. He has taken a temporary leave.

The New Yorker reports that Donald Jr. and Ivanka were facing a possible Indictment in New York.

ISIS is still claiming responsibility for Las Vegas. No one is listening to them.

I've been reading everything on the Las Vegas shooter, his girlfriend and her family here, in Australia and in the Philippines, ISIS claims about it, and even the Manila casino massacre in June, one of ISIS' few false claims.

There's obviously something missing, nothing adds up, and once I have a theory that makes sense, I'll write about it. One interview I don't see mentioned much is this one in the Guardian by the former partner of Marilou's sister, who spent time in Nevada with the couple. He describes Paddock's views on guns and his algorithms for gambling.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I'm off to see American Made. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Update: American Made was much better than I expected. Movie theaters sure are different these days. (I go to the movies about once a year or less.) When we bought our tickets at the window (not in advance) we got to pick assigned seats. All the seats were recliners where you pressed a button to extend and keep your legs raised. The seats had tray tables, not just drink holders. There were only about 20 people in the theater (and not many people milling around the 15 plex theater) so I guess 4pm on Mondays is a good time to go to the movies.

And yes, even if you are not a Tom Cruise fan (and I'm pretty lukewarm on him usually), he's really good in this film.

September 21, 2017(11 days ago) at the Hollywood Bowl:

Update: 10:20 pm MT: After a day of contradictory reports, Tom Petty's manager confirmed a few minutes ago that he has passed away.

Original Post

I can't believe it. Tom Petty has died after a sudden cardiac arrest.

RIP Tom, and thank you for the decades of fabulous music. You will be missed. [More...]

The Las Vegas shooter is down. There was only one shooter. There were no bombs at other hotels. 20 people are dead and up to one hundred are injured.

The shooter was a local resident. Police say he died. He was shooting from a room on the 32ndfloor of the Mandalay Bay. Police are looking for his companion, Mari Lou Daniely or Danelly, a 4'11" Asian female.

Police also searched two vehicles, associated with the shooter:a Hyundai Tucson Nevada/114B40 and a Chrysler Pacifica Nevada/79D401.

Authorities do not believe the motive is terrorism, despite ISIS threatening Las Vegas in a video in 2015.

Update: He'll live in Las Vegas for the "forseeable future," says the Nevada Dept. of Corrections.

O.J. Simpson has been released from prison on parole. He served 9 years before being granted parole. He received no special treatment while in prison or while being considered for parole. My view: Let him be. He's done his time for the robbery and related crimes for which he was convicted and sentenced. He's earned his freedom.

It's not clear where he will be living. It seems like it will be California or Florida, but for now he's in Nevada.

Tom Scotto, a close Simpson friend who lives in Naples, Florida, said by text message he was with Simpson following his release. Scotto did not respond to questions about where they were going or whether Simpson’s sister, Shirley Baker of Sacramento, California, or his daughter, Arnelle Simpson of Fresno, California, were with him.

Here are his parole conditions.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, a Trump devotee who has been tweeting about her recent visits to the Oval Office doesn't want him in Florida. What grounds are there to refuse Nevada's request for the transfer? None, as far as I can tell. [More...]

It's almost sundown which means Yom Kippur will begin. Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is the holiest day of the year for Jews. From sundown to sundown tomorrow, there is no work and no food.

Here is a link to the services live-stream from the Reform congregation at the 92nd St Y in Manhattan.

For those not observing, here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

Trump cabinet member Tom Price has resigned as director of Health and Human Services. FlightGate proved too much.

The work-related travel, which was first reported Sept. 19 by Politico, cost taxpayers nearly $1 million, or about $400,000 for private charters and $500,000 in military airplane costs. Most of the trips were between cities where inexpensive commercial flights were also available. The revelations had sparked a flurry of criticism from government ethics watchdogs.

For now Trump will stick with a deputy assistant director as acting secretary: