I’m writing for tomorrow, day 120. My COPD is still severe, and I have pain in my lower back. I’m hoping against hope that it isn’t another kidney stone. Just in case, I’m super-hydrating. (That worked)
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:01 (average 4:24). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: Last week’s indictment of Texas Governor Rick Perry has sparked widespread bipartisan support for the concept of sending politicians to prison for ninety-nine years.
While Americans are divided about the merits of the specific charges levelled against Perry, there is near-unanimous agreement that imprisoning politicians for ninety-nine years is an idea worth exploring further, a poll released on Monday indicates.
According to the poll, eighty-seven per cent of voters from both parties agreed that sending politicians to prison for such a lengthy period would “solve a lot of problems” and “make the country safer.”
LOL Andy. Welcome back! I frequently tell my guys in prison that they made a bad career choice, when the did not opt to be elected criminals, as opposed to convicted ones.
From Vox: Missouri Governor Jay Nixon on Monday ordered the state’s National Guard to Ferguson to help contain rising tensions and violence over the shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown.
The announcement came after the St. Louis suburb endured another night of violence as several agitators, whom Brown’s family and other protest leaders condemned, engaged in shootings, hurled Molotov cocktails, and vandalized various businesses. Security officials reported at least three injuries, although none were police officers.
"These violent acts are a disservice to the family of Michael Brown and his memory"
"Tonight, a day of hope, prayers, and peaceful protests was marred by the violent criminal acts of an organized and growing number of individuals, many from outside the community and state, whose actions are putting the residents and businesses of Ferguson at risk," Nixon said in a statement. "These violent acts are a disservice to the family of Michael Brown and his memory, and to the people of this community who yearn for justice to be served, and to feel safe in their own homes."
A lot of people don’t realize what’s really going on here. We are dealing with two distinct groups. First there are protestors. They are essentially peaceful, and we were moving rapidly toward a resolution, thanks to State Police Captain Ron Johnson, until they were enraged by incendiary statements from the Ferguson Police Chief and the St. Louis County DA, who sabotaged an improving situation. I think that was intentional, and intended to provoke violence to distract from the criminal behavior by police. The protestors are so angry that they refuse to disband. Second, there are the looters and anarchists. Virtually all of them are not local. They do not care about the issues the demonstrators care about. They are there to commit crimes. I only hope that the National Guard will respond to each group separately and appropriately. My own experience with the Guard in the 1960s has stained the streets of several Eastern and Midwest cities with my blood, as I demonstrated peacefully, so my hope is not high.
From Right Wing Watch: This, weekend Christian Post blogger Michael Bresciani pointed out [pseudo-Christian delinked] the real culprit for terrorist attacks: gay people.
Bresciani writes that LGBT “perversion” is bringing the world “in danger of judgment” and, in fact, “these judgments have already begun and terrorism is part of it.”
Bresciani adds that evolution and the separation of church and state, which he claims is the invention of Satan, are also responsible for inciting divine punishment.
Simply put, this Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian is claiming that God is punishing us all, because we don’t hate gay people, believe pseudo-science and allow the unconstitutional choice of Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christianity as the state religion.
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread–8/19/2014”
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3:58 I think I'd rather be in the fort than on the boat, but I don't want to be dogmatic; I'm perfectly willing to try out both for exxtended periods until I'm sure.
New Yorker – Nice to be in such an overwhelming majority. There's a vacancy coming up (it can't come up fast enough for me) that Perry could have: John Kiriakou is down to a few months. Of course John should never have been there in the first place, whereas Rick should have been there now for longer than John has and no end in sight.
Vox – Although less so from a distance, I think it's abundantly clear to anyone who looks at Ferguson as comprising human beings that there are two separate groups. Unfortunately the local police certainly do not fit that description – they see animals. Like you, TC, I don't have high hopes for the National Guard's vision.
RWW – Gee, I know Thomas Jefferson wasn't perfect – who is? – but I don't believe I've heard him called "Satan" before. (And yes, I know, he didn't acually invent it, he was just the best known spokesman.) If perversion brings judgment, what about the perversion of Jesus' teachings that Bresciani is spouting?
Cartoon – Classic photo. In the photo with the petition for Koch-free politics, Charley is LOLing, and Davey makes Grumpy Cat look like sweetness and light. With regard to who pays whom – well, the Prosperity Gospel people do think God is paying them for being faithful. With the Kochs, believe me, money goes both ways.
Glad the super-hydration worked. Through the medical doubletalk, I believe it was kidney issues that took my father when I was the ripe old age of three days. Of course more is known now to prevent that.
Oner of the downsides of A/C is that I'm sweating less, I sometimes fail to drink enough water..
2:29 I had all my sails unfurled for this race.
2:45 And I thought I had the wind at my back!
3:01 I hit a head wind which has me sailing backwards.
Mashed!
I hope you're feeling better today. I was worried when you mentioned back pain because it's a sign of pneumonia. I hope it's not kidney stones either.
New Yorker ~ Good idea, Andy. Let them pay for their own incarcertion too.
Vox ~ The important thing to remember is the protesters are peaceful. Law enforcement officials said the looters and trouble=makers were not t=from around there. Someone (I wonder who) imported them to Ferguson to agitate. Sound familiar?
Right-Wing(nut) Watch ~ When all else faills, blame it on the Gays. Aren't they resonsible for the murder of Michael Brown too?
Cartoon ~ When will they all admit it so they Koch Bros can be truly put on the pedestal they so deserve (in prison)?
Never.
The New Yorker: If the poll were real, I am sure the percentage of those in favor would be sky high! Mitch in prison for 99 years, sounds like a winner to me.
Vox: It seems unreal that we are again having a situation like Ferguson. The police have mismanaged everything possible and now outsiders are coming in to loot, giving the police more excuses to tear bomb and rubber bullet protestors. I agree, TC, the National Guard does not usually do well in these situations, although I was not involved in the protests in the sixties as you were. I wanted to be,though. People like you who were brave enough to step outside the box for your beliefs made this a better country.
Right Wing Watch: They should change their name to Nut wing Watch. that remark is like the one made after Hurricane Katrina by Robertson, that New Orleans was flooded because of their iniquity. Bourbon Street was not touched. The residential areas where middle class suburbanites and the very poor lived were destroyed, so I guess they were punished for the French Quarter's sins.
Cartoon: Yes they do, they have to, because the Koch's fund them. and own them.
Hope your COPD is better and you did not have a kidney stone.
Thanks Edie.
Some are not nuts. They are just evil.
Robertson needs to stop using words like "iniquity" until he can understand what they mean. "Iniquity" derives from "inequity," i.e. unfairness, inequality. If God were to pubish for that, he would punish the rich. Doesn't happen.
Puzzle — 3:01 I hit a head wind which has me sailing backwards.
The New Yorker — Andy has the right idea, although I suspect that Republican voters would more likely put Democrat politicians in than GOP. The obstructionists, election fraud artists deserve more than 99 years. I don't think it is fair for Democrats to have the same lengthy incarceration.
Speaking of Perry, somewhere I saw a picture of Scott Walker, Nathan Deal, Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie and Perry under the caption "The GOP Rat Pack". Very apt and amusing.
Vox — Ferguson reminds me a bit of Gaza. There was a ceasefire but rockets flew again into southern Israel and Israel was quick to start shelling again. Hamas says they didn't do it. Unconfirmed reports have said that ISIL has jumped into the fray. If that is the case, there is really big trouble now. Police and citizens alike will have to work together to remove the anarchists, if it isn't too late. I see the police chief as Netenyahu.
Right Wing Watch — Michael Bresciani is definitely 6 beers shy of a six pack! What more can I say?
Cartoon — Ah, my favourite portraits for my dart board! Make that my favourite American portraits. Harper is still #1 on the Canadian hit parade!
If it slowed you, it was a foot wind. 😉