Yesterday, my friend that’s also my hired helper stood me up, complicating my life somewhat, because I need her to do some of the things that I cannot. I did most of the research for these articles early yesterday morning, before exhaustion set in . Tomorrow is a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, but I don’t get to meditate, because Comcast provided me such terrible service.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:48 (average 5:08). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: …As the sun rose on Friday, senators had worked through a second straight late-night session — called by Democrats as a way of retaliating for Republicans’ delaying tactics on confirmations. They held their first vote of the day at 7 a.m., confirming Deborah James to be secretary of the Air Force. And absent a compromise, they may still be voting through Saturday, a prospect that has thrilled no one.
…Republicans, furious that Democrats last month stripped away most of their power to filibuster presidential nominations, are using every procedural barricade available to them in the Senate’s two-century-old rule book, forcing it to run the clock as long as possible while they vote on a series of President Obama’s nominees…
…Democrats, hoping to make the situation so unpleasant for their colleagues across the aisle that they eventually break, are scheduling votes at all hours of the day and night. Mr. Reid is threatening to refuse to let anyone go home until a backlog of dozens of nominees is gone — even if that means spending Christmas Eve in the Capitol.
Mr. Reid has votes planned through Saturday afternoon and will push through another battery of nominations next week, including some that would each require 30 hours of debate, like that of Janet L. Yellen to lead the Federal Reserve…
Awww… The poor widdle Filibastards have their panties in a bunch, because they are being prevented from sabotaging America. If they don’t like the hours, let them take a long flying ____ off a short pier into a toxic waste dump.
From Alternet: Jon Stewart has had enough of Fox News’ ongoing fake War On Christmas. On Thursday night’s show, the Daily Show host slammed Fox News’ Megyn Kelly for her obsession with the race of both Santa and Jesus.
Stewart first mocked Fox host Gretchen Carlson for losing her temper over a Festivus pole, before laying into Kelly for her provocative reassurance to children that Santa is white.
The Daily Show
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These Faux Noise idiots from the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda are dead wrong. SantaCat has both black and white fur.
From Raw Story: An American who went missing in Iran six years ago worked for the CIA and was not in the country on a business trip as US officials had claimed, US media reported.
In a case that had long been shrouded in secrecy, the Associated Press and The Washington Post published lengthy reports revealing how retired FBI agent Robert Levinson had been paid by the CIA to gather intelligence.
Levinson flew to an Iranian resort, Kish Island, in March 2007 to investigate corruption in the country, with hopes of also gleaning information about Tehran’s suspect nuclear program, the reports said.
But he vanished, and US officials have publicly said that he was a private citizen traveling on private business.
In violation of CIA rules, a team of analysts had hired Levinson — a seasoned FBI agent with expert knowledge about Russian criminal circles — to gather intelligence, the AP and the Post wrote.
When Congress finally learned what had taken place, the agency sacked three analysts and seven others faced disciplinary action.
No doubt Republicans will be claiming that President Obama ordered him to Iran in 2007.
Cartoon:
12 Responses to “Open Thread–12/14/2013”
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So good to have you back full force, Tom!
All the GOP obstructionists can just pee up a rope, that's how much sympathy they are getting here.
And "manger danger"? – LOL – Christmas started here before Halloween. Now that it's almost the holiday, everyone is numb to it. And all the policital correctness only makes it worse. How about just some lights, some hot chocolate, and hugs to go 'round? That sounds more like Christmas should be, don't you think?
I think we all knew he was working for the CIA, the question is why were analysts fired and not those in charge of the final decisions within the Agency? Low hanging fruit, they got the sack, Levison is in prison or worse, and as usual the guys/gals with the big pay check are not held accountable.
The republicans kept the Senate in session for 4 days around the clock, there was a glaring problem. Few showed from either party and the Senate lacked a quorum until it was time for a vote. The up side would be the number of confirmation that passed, the down side would have to be the silly school yard bully games by Mitch (turtle man) McConnell to make democrats "rue the day". Only one person actually did fulfill the requirements of a filibuster, Rand Paul. Bless his pointed and dull little head, he did at least follow the rules of a filibuster. Some other guy pretended to filibuster, but acting out a self centered drama is not a filibuster. If the democrats held the republicans feet to fire and made them actually follow the rules of filibuster every time it's held up as threat; things would have rapidly changed in the Senate.
I think they all need to grow up and begin to behave like adults elected to represent the people. This is not some back room high jinks, when the Senate is in session the world watches. Okay, C-Span was watching the rest of the world went to bed laughing. They embarrass themselves and this country.
If you are Christian and say Merry Christmas, I thank you
If you are Jewish and say Happy Hanukkah, I thank you – (BTW, Hanukkah is now passed)
Whatever your thoughts on the this holiday season, give the greeting that you like. I thank you for saying a few nice words to me.
There is no War on Christmas, but there is most certainly a desire for one. I see far too many wishing they were martyrs to a pagan holiday. Fundies pray for a War on Christmas, it gives Megan Kelly one more reason for she and Palin to shove their feet directly into their ill informed mouths.
Thanks TC!
3:34 I'm not very optimistic about my time today.
4:10 I'm not even in the picture today.
NY Times ~ If they drag their feet and stall votes, they will be spending Christmas in Washington. Their families won't be very happy. Or will they?
Alternet ~ Their imaginary "War on Christmas" is getting crazier every year. Maybe Megan could just buy a Nativity set for her home if she wants her child to see one. What does Santa Claus have to do with the Birth of Christ? He is only a myth borrowed from many legends of St. Nicklaus and Father Christmas from Europe.
Raw Story ~ I agree with Miss Kitty. Most people suspect CIA involvement any time someone goes missing in a dangerous country. It's unusual if they are not CIA.
Cartoon ~ something non-political for a change.
7:14 – Finally… 😆
4:52 I'd never heard of Optimists in this sense. I certainly wasn't optimistic ehough.
Congress – I would take the position that retaliation has nothing to do with it; it's the need to catch up after having been put so far behind on appointments.
Christmas: Very funny letter in Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/12/1262236/–We-re-Not-White-Guys-Megyn-Kelly-By-Jesus-and-St-Nicholas Don't miss it!
Levinson – FBI, CIA, NSA, all the same, right wing crazies with jobs. Yes, it should be the higher ups who get punished if anyone does, but that's not how it works in the Republican world, is it?
And Patty, I'm sure Republicans could find a way to make the cartoon a political issue.
Fox Snooze makes me laugh as I saw a segment about White Santa… 😳
I love the letter! Jesus' naughty list does have permanent consequences. So, those naughty, greedy, homophobic racists better really watch out.
Sorry you won't get to worship the ellipsoid orb tomorrow. I watched my Wildcats lose to NC tonight, it was not pretty. We have a new team each year under Coach Cal because he keeps recruiting guys who will be "one and done" I wish they would require them to spend at least two years in college before going pro and making millions.
NY times: The Repubs are finally getting a taste of what they have been dishing out. No sympathy here.
Faux News: I expect racism from this group.
Raw Story: I doubt that anyone is really surprised that this was related to the CIA. It is scary how many agencies we have that are practically autonomous, NSA included.
It makes the right wingers really mad if you refer to it as "the war on Xmasghazi."