Writing for day 38, I’m happy to say that the weatherman screwed up yesterday, and it did not reach 90° inside until late in the day. It’s now a frosty 82° at my desk. I’m waiting for the outcome of conflicting weather reports that are 14° apart and praying low. I actually feel almost alive!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:42 (average 5:06). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Chicago, like Philadelphia, is pairing school closings affecting mostly poor and non-white kids with massive layoffs in the schools:
Citing a $1 billion budget deficit, Chicago Public Schools will lay off more than 2,000 employees, more than 1,000 of them teachers, the district said Thursday night.
About half of the 1,036 teachers being let go are tenured. The latest layoffs, which also include 1,077 school staff members, are in addition to 855 employees — including 420 teachers — who were laid off last month as a result of the district’s decision to close 49 elementary schools and a high school program.
While Mayor Rahm Emanuel insists there’s no money for the schools, he’s planning to use $55 million in taxpayer funds for a new basketball arena for DePaul University (a private Catholic university) and a new hotel.
With DINOs like Rahmbo, who needs Republicans for InsaniTEA?
From MSNBC: Ed Schultz and Bernie Sanders weigh in on Detroit.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Since Detroit fell under the Republican Reich the people’s suffering has skyrocketed, while the 1% have rolled in gravy. Bernie is absolutely right that 1% greed is the reason behind the lack of help for Detroit and the jobs programs America so desperately needs. If what you see in Detroit is what you want for your community, vote for Republicans. Otherwise…. Every Republican in office is one Republican too many!
From McClatchy DC: Mississippi’s attempt to become the first state to build a high-tech, potentially life-saving broadband network that can beam videos and data to police, firefighters and medical teams during emergencies has come to a halt, stalled by bureaucratic and financial hurdles.
With little notice, the state’s Wireless Communications Commission voted last week to freeze construction on the $56 million project, already nearly 80 percent complete, because of an impasse with the federal government and a state budget shortfall.
Police chiefs across the state are beginning to mobilize a grassroots campaign to lobby legislators to try to save it, and firefighters are likely to join.
If the network had been designed to serve the 1% only, it would have been completed long ago.
Cartoon:
Now where can we get a pipe for Republicans?
17 Responses to “Open Thread–7/22/2013”
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3:46 I"m back to slow agian. I need one of these for when I want to walk and chew gum at the same time.
3:43 I think I need one of these. I was shoved out of bed onto the floor by my 3 monster cats last night.
3:27 I used the helmets to knock others out of my way.
Second by seconds! 🙁
Given Chicago's Draconian budget cuts to its public schools, it makes absolutely NO sense to (wait for it …)
There's a powerful photo of the Obama family inside the jail cell of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/june-2013-photo-day
A powerful picture worth several thousand words, Nameless! Another one was the House of Slaves in Senegal. Thanks Nameless.
ARGH!
Thanks, Nameless. Several of the pictures werfe compelling.
Interesting how everything rotten, deceptive, or outrageous always leads back to those darn Repugs….
Of course, you aren't surprised by that, Arielle.
Puzzle — 3:43 I think I need one of these. I was shoved out of bed onto the floor by my 3 monster cats last night.
Daily Kos — Does anybody remember how Rmoney, during the last election cycle was saying that everybody had the opportunity to succeed if they worked hard and persevered? Now we all know that Rmoney is nothing but elephant scat and what he said is as hollow as his ethics and morals. This matter of the Chicago schools, and the same with the Philadelphia schools, is more proof of this false claim by Rmoney.
In order for a child to succeed, he/she needs a quality education. But with so many schools being shuttered mostly in poorer areas, teachers and staff being layed off, student class size being increased in the public system, and insufficient up-to-date books and materials, how is a child to receive this needed education? Poorer kids can't afford the fees of a private or charter school. I do NOT call that EQUAL OPPORTUNITY!
Further, spending $55 million in taxpayer funds for a new basketball arena for a private Catholic university and a new hotel is outrageous. Let the exclusive university find it's own funds other than from the city of Chicago, and let private investors fund the hotel.
This whole affair is outrageous and should be stopped!
MSNBC — The only can that needs to be kicked down the road is Snyder's! How can there be growth after a slate wiped clean when jobs are being outsourced? And to wipe the slate clean at the expense of retirees who worked all their lives for their pensions, and that is their only income, — that's immoral and unethical. I hope this is fought all the way. I agree with Ed and Bernie (surprise! surprise! surprise!) that if this bankruptcy is allowed to happen, this will happen in other cities too, like falling dominoes! And what some may not realise is that this will have effects in the finance world. Municipal and state bonds, which have previously been known to be relatively safe, will become junk. This is more than a slippery slope. It is an ice mountain with a sheer drop!
McClatchy DC — Another failure of the Republicanus/Teabaggers! Fiscal conservatives? My ass! By stopping the project, they are throwing away the money already spent, and then will likely blame the Obama administration for not coöperating.
Pied Piper — When I first saw the cartoon, I immediately thought of the Pied Piper leading all the Republicanus/Teabaggers from the US to a remote low lying island! Then I saw your comment following. I don't do ditches.
That makes me the fourth, by one second. 😉
I fully agree about Chicago.
I followed that up today.
Exactly.
But your great mind fell into one with mine, anyway!
But you know what a ditch is don't you? — a grave with the ends knocked out! Otherwise, I'd say no better place to be!
All graves should have escape hatches like that. 🙂
Rahm needs to change parties. What he is doing to Chicago schools is outrageous. Being buddies with the president is not always the best recommendation for a job.
I wish we a hundred Bernies in the senate. Then we could get something done about the mess this country is in. Snyder is an idiot, but evidently a wealthy one. He has been very busy privatizing public schools in Michigan, guess who gets the contracts? Detroit used to be a beautiful city and during the 60's and 70's was a mecca for anyone looking for a job. I hope the Michigan Supreme court does rule and that they rule against Snyder's bankruptcy.
Poor Mississippi, even when they try to do the right thing, they hit a roadblock.
I agree!
You can have 98 Bernies. I'll Keep Jeff and Ron.
A Republican road block!
6:25
My buddy is from Detroit which has a high rate of deaths via guns, very sad indeed…
I can imagine, Richard.