Jul 302014
 

I’m writing for tomorrow, day 100.  I’m feeling better, and have recovered from the evil task.  Temperatures here have been high for the last few days, and the laundry room has no A/C, so I imagine that contributed.  In addition to that, the arthritis in my hands was so severe that I could barely type.  I guess the next obstacle is physical therapy on Friday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:00 (average 4:39).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Fantasy Football:

The information I gave you a couple days ago is incorrect.  We have two openings in our fantasy football league, not one.  We can play with either eight or ten players, so we don’t have to fill them, but more is more fun for all, so please let me know if you’d like to play.

Short Takes:

From Upworthy: In April 2009, after a court ruling, gay marriage became legal in the state of Iowa. On Jan. 11, 2011, a young man named Zach Wahls went before the Iowa Legislature to speak on behalf of his two moms after the legislature took up a bill to ban gay marriage. Over 18 million people watched and shared it. At 2:50, he nails what family really means.

 

Wahls is stunning, but you can tell who the Republicans in the background are by watching the hate on their faces.

From The New Yorker: Sarah Palin’s online video service starring herself had a hugely successful launch on Monday, as millions of Americans paid $9.95 for the rare opportunity of hearing the former Alaska Governor speak.

The Web site for The Sarah Palin Channel reportedly crashed several times during the day, as it was overwhelmed by subscribers seeking a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of the reclusive Palin sharing her opinions.

At the corporate headquarters of the Palin Channel, the marketing director Tracy Klugian attributed the site’s mammoth success to “the simple law of supply and demand.”

I’m not sure what Andy has been smoking, but it’s clearly premium grade.

From NY Times: House and Senate negotiators announced an agreement Monday on legislation that would allocate about $17 billion to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs’ sprawling and beleaguered health care system. But the deal does not give the department everything that officials there have said is needed to fix its problems.

The agreement set off a frantic rush on Capitol Hill to gather signatures from members of the conference committee working on the bill so that it could be put to a vote of the full House and Senate before lawmakers adjourn for an August recess on Friday.

If approved, the legislation would end a sometimes rancorous standoff over how much to spend to begin to fix the department, and it would help ensure that veterans who face long waits to see doctors at the department’s facilities could get appointments more quickly with private physicians. A few details were still being worked out even after the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees announced the agreement Monday at an afternoon news conference.

Click through for more details. Sadly, this appears little more than an attempt to treat cancer with a Band-Aid. On the other hand, getting anything at all for vets from Republicans is a minor miracle.

Cartoon:

0730Cartoon

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  21 Responses to “Open Thread–7/30/2014”

  1. 3:33 I was smelling the flowers again.

  2. Upworthy ~ His Moms should be very proud of him. So eloquent!

    New Yorker ~ There are some jerks who will pay that money to see her even though it might take away from paying their heating bills or something else equally important because she brainwashed them while on FAUX. I would like some of what Andy is smoking though.

    NY Times ~ But they have money to contract to build weapons the Pentagon tells them they don't want or need. Damned TeapublicanTs! At least Bernie got something for our Veterans, I guess.

  3. 5:05  Not a comfortable wall to be up against.

    League – How to tell a blog is progressive, lesson number 472 – When an error is doscovered, no matter how minor, a correction is immediately issued. 

    Upworthy – But I was happy to see a coule of people start nodding affirmatively part way through and keep it up.

    The New Yorker – Well, there's no difficulty telling this one is satire.  Reclusive indeed.  (Off topic – a link on the page goes to "Guy Walks Into a Bar" by Simon Rich, which is not terribly significant of anything except how long and how far it is possible to torture an old joke, but it is fun.)

    NY Times – After Jeff's rudeness and Bernie's epic rant, I predicted Monday when they announced the deal that if it passed it wouldn't be good (also that if it were good it wouldn't pass.)  Sometimes I hate being right.  But as you say, TC, it is something.

    Cartoon – Is that the Republican version of a koan?  It just might be "true" though, as Dems are raising crazy amounts of money from the threat.

    (P.S. I heard yesterday that though misstexaskitty has been under the weather and not felt like using the computer, it is not something to worry about and she will be back when she can.  I had been worried and was glad to hear.  Maybe you already knew.)

    • Nope – didn't know. So thanks for the encouraging update on MissTexasKitty (OK – I know that's NOT how she formats it – but it's easier for me to get it right)

    • Thanks, Joanne, I wondered where she was

    • I 'd rather correct a mistake, because accuracy matters, although I hate it when I have to do so because the source I referenced was lying.  Unfortunately there are a few on the left with no more integrity than Faux Noise.

      Thanks.  I emailed her a few days ago, because I was worried about her, but she had not replied.

      • All are welcome.  I had tried leaving a comment and also emailing with no replies which makes sense if whe's not computing.  Since getting this news I heave learned a couple of my friends knew more than I did but I didn't know who to ask.  I went through her friends list with a map and found a few Texans who live really close and sent introductions.  One responded, checked on her, and let me know.

  4. Congratulations TomCat on reaching 100 days.  Next 101!

  5. Puzzle — 2:57  This really spoke to me! Nice posies!

    Upworthy — As usual, I can't hear his speech but I do remember listening to it before.  He is passionate, honest and right on!  Farmer Jones, the guy in the red suspenders, was clearly not happy.  And those 2 legislators behind Zach, well they were just plain rude talking etc when Zach was speaking.  I felt like slapping them down.

    The New Yorker — "Supply and demand"?  There's too much supply so I demand that she be removed!

    NY Times — Love me some Bernie "tells it as it is and should be" Sanders!!

    “Planes and tanks and guns are a cost of war,” Mr. Sanders said. “So is taking care of the men and women who use those weapons and fight our battles.”

    The Republicanus/Teabaggers just refuse to get it like usual.  They throw away vehicles beyond repair and appear to do the same with people.  The Republicanus/Teabaggers are quick to start wars on the national credit card, but are worse than lousy when payment time comes.  This is a drop in the bucket, hopefully there will be more, that is if it passes. Heaven forbid that they don`t get their holidays . . . they`ve been on holiday all year!

    Cartoon — To Republicanus/Teabaggers, everything that they dislike, which is anything Obama wants plus more, is a socialist, Kenyan, Muslim conspiracy!  I wonder if Inspector Goosestep has staff to help with his heavy load and gets funding from the public purse?  Or is he strictly on the Republicanus/Teabagger dime?

  6. Speaking of that "socialist, Kenyan, Muslim" residing in the White House, and thinking of Boehner`s nitwit idea to sue Obama, Boehner has managed, for the 10th time, to be the Asshole of the Day for 29/07/14 because he said "We have no plans to impeach the president. We have no future plans," a visibly frustrated Boehner said. "Listen, it’s all a scam started by Democrats at the White House." and continues to deny any Republicanus/Teabagger part in the talk.  Here`s the link with the details:

    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/901/169/744/

    The Republicanus/Teabaggers are a regular GONG Show!

  7. Glad you are feeling better.

    Upworthy:  That young man would make any parent proud.  I saw this when it first came out but it was worth watching again.

    TheNew Yorker:  Andy is always funny, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if Sarah tried to get her own network.  she has all ready suggested she would be good on The View.

    NY Times:  Republicans are only interested in vets when they are in the process of making them fight a war that the Republicans will profit from.

    Cartoon:  Will that be next? Wouldn't be surprised.  

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