Writing for tomorrow, day 60, it’s 84° at my desk, and may stay cool, depending on how late the clouds burn off. Tomorrow will be a hot one. Because tomorrow is one of my prison volunteer days, I may be brief on comments to catch some extra sleep, and on Wednesday and/or Thursday, I may have no more than an Open Thread, due to the need to recover from the prison visit.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:09 (average 6:22). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times (Krugman): Recently Senator Rand Paul, potential presidential candidate and self-proclaimed expert on monetary issues, sat down for an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek. It didn’t go too well. For example, Mr. Paul talked about America running “a trillion-dollar deficit every year”; actually, the deficit is projected to be only $642 billion in 2013, and it’s falling fast.
But the most interesting moment may have been when Mr. Paul was asked whom he would choose, ideally, to head the Federal Reserve and he suggested Milton Friedman — “he’s not an Austrian, but he would be better than what we have.” The interviewer then gently informed him that Friedman — who would have been 101 years old if he were still alive — is, in fact, dead. O.K., said Mr. Paul, “Let’s just go with dead, because then you probably really wouldn’t have much of a functioning Federal Reserve.”
LOL! If Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot were President, the best thing he could do for America is to voluntarily join Friedman!
From TPM: Looks like Jonnie Williams won’t be getting a Christmas card from the McDonnells this year.
After the Virginia dietary supplements maker Star Scientific announced on Friday that it did not expect to be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, a spokesperson for Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) went public with criticism of both the company and its CEO, Jonnie Williams. Williams’ relationship with McDonnell is the subject of both state and federal investigations, and the governor and his family have recently returned over $150,000 in gifts and loans given to them by him in recent years.
“Apparently, the U.S. government has given Star Scientific a free pass for unspecified misdeeds in return for the testimony of Jonnie Williams,” Rich Galen, McDonnell’s recently-hired private spokesperson, wrote in a statement to The Virginian-Pilot on Saturday. “Governor Bob McDonnell has had an 37-year unblemished record of military and civilian government service. Jonnie Williams has been in trouble with government entities since the earliest days of his business career.”
What a fool McDonnell is! It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to figure out that the 1% vulture capitalist will throw the corrupt politician under the bus without a moment’s hesitation to save his own butt.
From Think Progress: The Republican-led House of Representatives would impeach President Obama “tomorrow” if it came to a vote, a GOP congressman revealed during a town hall over the weekend.
“I’ll give you a real frank answer about that,” Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) told constituents on Saturday on the topic of potentially impeaching Obama for high crimes and misdemeanors. “If we were to impeach the president tomorrow, you could probably get the votes in the House of Representatives to do it,” Farenthold announced. However, because the Democratic-controlled Senate would be unlikely to convict, the Texas congressman cautioned against proceeding on impeachment because a failed attempt would send a “message” that Obama’s actions are “okay.”
The goose-stepper is right. They would impeach Obama, they would fail in the Senate trial, and Obama’s actions would appear OK. What he is not saying is that Obama’s actions would appear OK, because there is no evidence that Obama has done something worthy of impeachment. Also, they would be exposed as the frauds they are. On the other hand, if House Democrats had impeached Cheney and Bush in 2007, as they should never have promised not to do in the 2006 campaign, they also would have failed in the Senate Trial, lacking the needed 67 votes. However, it would have exposed the criminal nature of today’s Republican Party far earlier, and therefore, it probably would have prevented the 2010 fiasco.
Cartoon:
15 Responses to “Open Thread–8/13/2013”
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How did you do? 6:21
Jonnie Williams, No Soup for you… 🙂
Well done Richard! . . . under the average! Keep at it!
What Lynn said!
2:59 Houdini?
3:13 I'm not even his cousin thrice removed! . . . even at more that 3 minutes under the average! Ok Jerry, are you related to Houdini?
3:07 Looks like Patty's got a lock on this puzzle.
3+ minutes under average and 3rd?
WOW! 60 days! Great job! Keep it up. You'll be glad you did.
NY Times ~ Does he think Ayn Rand is still alive too?
TPM ~ Trouble for McConnell is coming at him fast and furious.
Think Progress ~ They would do anything to get rid of our twice elected Blac, Muslim, Kenyan President. What fool these RepubliCons are!
Cartoon ~ Snake oil, anyone?
Thanks patty!
She live in his heart.
And none too soon!
Amen!
Bingo!
If McDonnell thinks "Jonnie Williams has been in trouble with government entities since the earliest days of his business career” – then why the HELL did he take Rolex watch, "loans" etc. from the guy, and make him his BFF?
And that impeachable offense Rep. Blake Farenthold (and ALL Rethuglicans) think Obama committed?
It's Being Black While President
Ywo exoellent points, Nameless!
NY Times — Republicanus/Teabaggers are so out of touch with reality that it is scary! So out of touch that they don't even know one of their economic icons is dead! . . . let alone that he was a little more in touch with reality than they are. This is, in my mind, much worse that Slick Rick's "Oops!" moment and that put him half way out the door in the 2012 Republican primary.
TPM — I certainly take umbrage with the statement made by McDonnell's mouthpiece, Rich Galen. It is not 37 years as this malarkey has been going on for several years that we know of.
And returning $150,000 in gifts and loans given over the past several years by Jonnie Williams does not negate the fact that MCDonnell willingly accepted them in the first place. He is, as the expression goes, in up to his eyeballs. It may assuage his "Christian heart" to return the gifts etc, but would he have ever done that if the matter had not become public? I doubt it.
The other thing I find amusing, both Williams and McDonnell are trying to throw each other under the bus!
Think Progress — What I see here are ideological differences, and in the case of Obama's birth certificate, rank stupidity, not criminality.
I agree with Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) on this issue, impeachment would only serve to shoot the Republicanus/Teabaggers in the foot, although I could wish for a fatal shot in the heart. Ideological differences are not grounds for impeachment.
Cartoon — Amen! Snake oil salesmen (persons) all. Their motto after being elected "there's a sucker born evry minute!"
I agree!
Republispeak Dictionary – unblemished: white
Exaxtly!
Bingo!
Once again, Rand has embarrassed himself and Kentucky. Why can't he shut up!
Why are the Republicans always so hot to impeach a Democrat, and why don't the Democrats have enough gumption to impeach a Republican? If Bush had been impeached, the country would be in much better shape.
I am happy for you that you are able to return to your work at the prison. We will miss you if you can't post, but so long as you are coming back it will be ok.
I donpt want him to shut up. Hios mouth may be his route to unemploymemt.
Three Amens.
I'made it. Just gruff and brief. 🙂