"Like a Damn Bell Clapper"

We've always cursed like sailors.

Good Evening:

I cannot confirm or deny that I have recorded five new #GetReadyWithMe videos.

Nor can I confirm or deny that this is a screenshot from one of them.

I can, however, confirm that—as a general matter—I am the sort of the person who might wear a green hat and stick my smirking mug between crossed American and Ukrainian flags in front of an image of Chris Christie in the course of making a #GRWM video.

And I can also say, speaking only hypothetically of course, that if I had made five #GRWM videos, and if the estimable Katherine Pompilio had sent me such an image in the course of editing these important cultural artifacts, that I am the sort of person who might use it as the Good Evening image.

And I can also say that I am the sort of person whom might use said image to catch reader attention and then shift gears and remind said readers that we are still in the midst of the Sol Invictus on Steroids sale, in which #DogShirtDaily subscriptions are going for 50 percent off until the end of the year and in which half of all gross annual revenues for each remaining post that happens this year will go to charities as specified in the dog shirt of December 10:

And I can also say that if I did all of those things, I might also remind readers that said Sol Invictus on Steroids sale includes all gift subscriptions that said readers might want to give to unsuspecting victims:

But as I say, I can’t confirm or deny any of this.

---

Today on #DogShirtTV, I welcomed the estimable Jonathan Rauch, who demanded airtime in order to chastise me for saying “fucking” too often. After 15 minutes of scolding, I was so thoroughly won over to the ways of righteousness and precision in language that I have sworn off swearing at least until I forget. The estimable Alicia Wanless and the estimable Eve Gaumond weighed in on the issue. Neither swore off swearing.

Then we welcomed the estimable Marty Lederman, who also wanted to chide me, but in Marty’s case not about my language but about my thoughts on Chris Wray’s resignation. This lead, as these things invariably do, to a rousing discussion on cowardice, courage, and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

---

Today On Lawfare

Open-Source Intelligence and the Challenges of Overclassification

David A. Reese argues that the overclassification of open-source intelligence reduces transparency, delays responses to security threats, and prevents important coordination between allies. He cites examples from the war against the Islamic State and involving nuclear proliferation by North Korea. Reese suggests possible solutions, including overhauling policy, technological integration and enhanced collaboration:

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) has become an integral component of national security, providing valuable insights from publicly available sources. As a career OSINT practitioner, I have seen firsthand how OSINT can be a game changer in real-time decision-making and operational planning, particularly in the field of nuclear non-proliferation. However, its potential is often undermined by pervasive overclassification within the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), which results from the tendency to consider information valuable as a matter of national security only when it has been classified—a phenomenon known informally in OSINT practitioner circles as “James Bond syndrome.”

How the Philippines Screens Foreign Investments

William Yuen Yee discusses the Philippines' screening laws on foreign investments, including how the laws were implemented, their successes and failures, U.S.-Philippines collaboration, and Yee’s suggested improvements:

The adoption of foreign investment screening mechanisms by the Philippines, classified as a lower-middle-income country by the World Bank, also shows that the rise of investment screening is not limited to advanced economies. It reflects an emerging consensus around foreign investment: Embrace openness, but mitigate security risks. Investment screening has allowed the Philippines to safeguard its national security interests while removing outdated investment restrictions, contributing to its post-pandemic recovery.

Documents

Here is the Justice Department Office of Inspector General’s report on the FBI’s handling of intelligence in the lead up to Jan. 6, including its failure to “canvass its field offices in advance of January 6, 2021, to identify any intelligence […] about potential threats to the January 6 Electoral Certification.”

Podcasts

On Lawfare Daily, Anna Hickey talks to Beka Kobakhidze about the protests in Georgia over Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s suspension of Georgia’s accession process to the European Union. The discussion covers, among other things, Russia’s growing influence in the country and the broader region and the violence the government has used to crack down on the protests:

On Rational Security, Scott R. Anderson sits down with me, Eugenia Lostri, and Tyler McBrien to break down the week's big national security news, including the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria; the nomination of Kash Patel, and whether President Biden should preemptively pardon those Trump is threatening; and the Fifth Circuit’s Tornado Cash decision:

Videos

Today, in an episode of Lawfare Live, I talk to Lawfare Senior Editor Scott R. Anderson, Middle East Institute Senior Fellow Charles Lister, and Syrian pro-democracy activist Ammar Abdulhamid about the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, the attempt to form a transitional government in Syria, the changes in the once Al-Qaeda affiliated HTS militia, and Israeli troops crossing the Israel-Syria border:

---

Tell Me Something Interesting

In honor of my new vow to restrain my use of the word “fuck,” let us all take a moment to appreciate John McWhorter’s invaluable work, “Nine Nasty Words,” which contains a full chapter on today’s current bone of contention. I encourage you all to pick up a copy of the full text, which is both entertaining and educational, but for now, enjoy a sampling of entertaining trivia:

1. The earliest unambiguous written usage of the word “fuck” is from a marginal note dating to 1528, and it looks like this:

   

   McWhorter says that the “d” here is short for “damn,” but this is apparently disputed, at least according to the blog post from which I got this photo.

2. There are earlier usages, however; they’re just all a little too weird or obscure to call “unambiguous.” One of the earliest is found in a court record from 1310, which records the existence (and apparent criminality) of a man named “Roger Fuckebythenavele.” You can find more details on this guy, including some speculations on where his name might have come from, here.

3. Possibly the earliest audio recording of the word “fuck” comes from the blues singer Lucille Bogan. While recording a song called “Shave ‘Em Dry” for a 1935 album, Bogan and the musicians playing with her also recorded a version of the song with extremely explicit alternative lyrics, apparently just for fun. This alternate recording was not released to the public until 1991. The track is notable not only for containing the word “fuck,” but also the lyrics:

   Now your nuts hang down like a damn bell clapper
   And your dick stands up like a steeple
   your goddamn asshole stands open like a church door
   and the crabs walks in like people

So there, Rauch: We’ve always been like this.

---

Today’s #BeastOfTheDay is the Ethiopian wolf, seen here eating nectar. While this creature is undeniably cute, merely being adorable does not earn a Beast the distinguished honor of being the Beast of the Day. I am recognizing this wolf today instead for its contribution to scholarship: the observation of this Beast and its brethren foraging for nectar is significant in establishing the role that mammals, especially carnivores, play in pollination. Behold the wolf moving from plant to plant, satisfying its sweet tooth and perpetuating the majestic circle of life:

Read the full open access article, and see more pictures of more wolves licking more flowers here.