I’m writing for tomorrow and am feeling very tired. My helper friend has not shown in over a month, and today, I had to take on a lot of the housework I’ve had her doing, including the worst task known to mankind, laundry. That took it out of me, so this article is all there is.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:06 (average 5:27). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: So it was that on Sunday February 16, 2014, Meet The Press featured a segment where Bill Nye the Science Guy ‘debated’ Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) over the recent string of severe weather events and Climate Change. There was a lot of pre-emptive disparagement here at Daily Kos and elsewhere, but watching the actual segment, it turned out to be better than I expected. (If you watch it several times, you get a better appreciation of the job Nye did – and how disingenuous Blackburn’s arguments really are.)
I fully agree with the author. Kudos to Bill Nye.
From Upworthy: Economist Ben Powell makes short work of the three standby anti-immigration arguments, leaving me with a ringing in my ears that sounds distinctly like the immortal "They took our jobs" chant from "South Park." They didn’t though. They really, really didn’t.
Republicans don’t want you to know these facts, because it debunks their lies.
From NY Times: Last week’s big business news was the announcement that Comcast, a gigantic provider of cable TV and high-speed Internet service, has reached a deal to acquire Time Warner, which is merely huge. If regulators approve the deal, Comcast will be an overwhelmingly dominant player in the business, with around 30 million subscribers.
So let me ask two questions about the proposed deal. First, why would we even think about letting it go through? Second, when and why did we stop worrying about monopoly power?
Click through for the rest of this excellent Paul Krugman editorial. I trust you will agree that this monopolistic deal must be stopped.
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread–2/18/2014”
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3:18 No matter how fast I drove, TC still beat me to the Pizza Place.
3:45 My pizza was burned, my pasta was cold, and I dropped my salad.
3:13 At least there is some pizza left for me because I arrived before Jerry!
So Lynn, it is YOUR fault that I had to eat burned pizza. Beware of the critters around you.
Jerry, I love critters! They are so cute and cuddley! Besides, I didn't say I wouldn't share!
Daily Kos ~ I still think Bill Nye wasn't given time to respond to Marsha Blackburn's drivel.
Upworthy ~ Ben Powell poked holes in the RepublicanTs arguements but they don't hear him because they have their fingers in their ears and are singing "LaLaLaLaLa" whenever he or another expert speaks truthfully.
NY Times ~ Ys. The deal must be stopped but the Anti-Trust laws were decimated many years ago. Ergo, there is nothing we can do. I keep signing petitions because right now Time Warner sucks and it will get even worse when a pure monopoly exists. As it istands now, they are the only cable and high speed internet service offered in my area.
Cartoon ~ Too true!
Take a look at The Donald's private 575. Make sure you have your barf bag handy. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/22/1009576/-Donald-Trump-shows-how-bad-off-the-wealthy-have-it
6:34 Oh, well, I don't eat pizza anyway.
Jump to cartoon: I think that love affair is with hate AND FEAR. They can only go so far with hate. They can bring many more in on the coattails with fear. Of the three articles, it's most noticeable in the Upworthy.
And they HATE the truth.
So true JD about drawing more people in on their coat tails of fear! They need a new tailor.
Daily Kos: The more I hear from Marsha Blackburn, the more I wonder how she ever got elected. We have climate change, whether the Republicans want to admit it or not. My argument to my Repub. friends is that this is the place we live and we should be taking care of it, whether or not there is climate change. Bill Nye did not let her get away with her cuteness.
Upworthy: This is true. I live in a very rural area, but we have a surprisingly large number of immigrants. Doctors and other health professionals from India, Iraq, Iran, and China. Restaurant workers from Mexico, China, and the Phillipines. Thye haven't taken any jobs that locals would either qualify for or want. The town I grew up in was one of the "coal camps". We had people from Poland, Germany, Ireland, and also many African Americans, who came to get a job in the mines. I don't remember any of us discriminating against those who came from "somewhere else". I think I was very fortunate to live in that area as a child.
NY Times: As usual, Krugman has it right. Why haven't the American people realized what has been happening. Fewer and fewer corporations are absorbing the most power. I hope this deal is stopped. IN sattelite tv, we have Directv and Dish network, who compete against each other. We have tried both and there is little difference. They dictate the terms and we accept or don't have satellite tv. The same is true for most cell phone companies, they all own certain areas and you are stuck with maybe a choice between two of them and there blessed contracts.
Cartoon: Too true.
Puzzle — 3:13 At least there is some pizza left for me because I arrived before Jerry!
Daily Kos — Unfortunately, the video is stop and go, mostly stop and I could not watch it (15 minutes to watch 3 minutes of video). However, when it comes to climate change, I firmly believe that publicly, Republicanus/Teabaggers are total deniers and out to lunch! Blackburn is an idiot and really knows how to tow the party line.
Upworthy — Again I couldn't see the video, even on Upworthy. It is probably something to do with wifi because I rarely had problems at home. Having said that, if something comes from the mouth of a Republicanus/Teabagger, it is guaranteed to be lies.
NY Times — Saint Ronnie, bless his pea picking little heart, NOT! Reagan seems to be at the dawn of a lot of Republicanus/Teabagger idiotology! Past time to bring back anti trust regulation etc.
Cartoon — Republicanus/Teabaggers love to hate, AND hate to love!
Thanks everyone. Looks like I'm the Pizza Cat, until Kitty Kitty shows up.
I think that the opposite of love is fear. Hate is merely a symptom of that fear.
5:06 – Tagging up the rear… 😆