Nov 212014
 

I’m writing for tomorrow, day 16.  I’m waiting for the President’s speech to begin.  It’s been a busy day.  I planned Thanksgiving dinner and put in my Thanksgiving grocery order at Safeway, as Store to Door is closed next week.  The cat is having bird.  I went to Care2 and uploaded the articles that wouldn’t upload last night.  I check my fantasy football lineup.  What a mess!  I did some housework.  I still have to squeeze in a cat nap.  I’m past due.

Jig Zone Puzzles

Yesterday’s took me 3:47 (average 6:42).  To do it click here.  Today’s took me 3:14 (average 4:58).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: How the sausage is made.

[New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie], who traditionally backs off from declaring how he’ll act on pending legislation when asked by reporters, made his intentions clear on a pig gestation crate bill when asked last month about it during a visit to Northwest Iowa, according to a pork producer.

“He indicated to us that he was going to veto the bill,” said Bill Tentinger, an Iowa pork producer and former president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association. […]

The bill would direct the state Department of Agriculture to prohibit “the confinement, in an enclosure, of any sow during gestation in a manner that prevents the sow from turning around freely, lying down, standing up, or fully extending the limbs of the animal.”

Christie is now in trouble with many in New Jersey, the state he currently governs, for two reasons. First, the bill is popular in the state, which is why it’s currently sitting on his desk waiting for a signature. Second, advocates of that bill are furious that Christie hasn’t been telling them squat about whether he was going to veto the bill but can travel to Iowa as a maybe-possibly presidential contender and tell the folks there what he was going to do. Especially since it looks like pre-presidential pork producer pandering of the penultimate persuasion.

Frankly, I don’t think this blatant cruelty will help PIGnocchio in his obvious Iowa Caucus pandering. Furthermore, it t wont make him safe in Washington DC. As soon as Iowa’s new Senator, Joni Pig Nuts, gets a look at him, she’ll … snip snip … make PIGnocchio squeal!

From Upworthy: I support the end of corruption in government and pay-to-play politics. Mayday.US is a nonpartisan group using the people’s money to challenge big donors — perhaps the last chance we have to stop the madness. Actor Jason Alexander makes a strong point in this 30-second video: All citizens should keep this in mind every time they hear a political ad paid for by a special interest PAC.

 

I honestly don’t know if mayday.us can help, but we have to do something to counter all those billionaire bucks!

From The New Yorker: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled his party’s long-awaited plan on immigration on Wednesday, telling reporters, “We must make America somewhere no one wants to live.”

Appearing with House Speaker John Boehner, McConnell said that, in contrast to President Obama’s “Band-Aid fixes,” the Republican plan would address “the root cause of immigration, which is that the United States is, for the most part, habitable.”

“For years, immigrants have looked to America as a place where their standard of living was bound to improve,” McConnell said. “We’re going to change that.”

Boehner said that the Republicans’ plan would reduce or eliminate “immigration magnets,” such as the social safety net, public education, clean air, and drinkable water.

The Speaker added that the plan would also include the repeal of Obamacare, calling healthcare “catnip for immigrants.”

Andy is back to straight news again, but I have to admit, Republicans have been quite successful at crafting policies to implement this plan.

Cartoon:

1121Cartoon

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  11 Responses to “Open Thread–11/21/2014”

  1. Yesterday ~ 5:06 I never did like waffles.

    Today ~ 3:25 Better, but not fast enough.

  2. Daily Kos ~ The voters in NJ are not happy with him at all. Iowans will love him if he vetoes the bill. He definitely want to live in the White House. The bottom line is that gestation crates are inhumane. Pigs cannot even lie down nor stretch their limbs. Imagine not being able to scratch an itch. I will say no more.

    Upworthy ~ I sincerely hope mayday.us will help. We know that Congress will not change the laws to negate Citizens' United now.

    New Yorker ~ I really wish Andy would get back to satire.

    Cartoon ~ Sickening! I watched on PBS last night.

     

  3. Daily Kos – you'd think Christie would have more sympathy with pigs, you really would!

    Upworthy – excellent ad by mayday.us.

    New Yorker – again too much too close to truth, Andy – youch!

     

  4. Jon Stewart did a great piece on Christie and the gestation bill (loved your alliteration TC!).

    MayDay at least moves the conversation to letting the DEM party know many of us who will vote are disenchanted with their move to the right and are still willing to fund those who actually represent us.

    AB is so much straight news he brought tears for the destruction they've wrought.

    Sure wish our FCC ensured news (also adequate coverage Lynn?) for licenses more like Canada.

  5. Yesterday 7:46, today 4:15, both averages unchanged.

    Daily Kos – Yes, this stunt earned him A$$hole of the Day for November 18.

    Upworthy – This is the PAC that Lawrence Lessig was instrumental in founding.  While I really think we need a Constitutional Amendment (one which is carefully crafted to to what we need and not to do what we don't need), being a belt-and-suspenders type of person, I'm open to an all-of-the-above approach on this (as opposed to on energy), and apparently Lessig is too.

    New Yorker – while in one way it is indeed straight news, somehow I don't see Republicans admitting it this openly.

    Cartoon:  Yet hubby saw the televised speech in prison, and called me shortly after.  Who DID run it?  Besides PBS, they get that, but no one he knows watches it.

  6. Puzzles — Yesterday — 4:05     Today — 3:04

    I was able to contain myself sufficiently on the waffles (my mother made great waffles and they looked a lot more inviting!) so I was able to flit and flutter through the flowers!

    Daily Kos — Christie is the one that needs the gestation crate!

    "This has been your Chris Christie being an asshole moment of the day. Tune in tomorrow, when there'll probably be another. He really doesn't do the "likability" thing very well."

    How prophetic!  Christie was awarded the Asshole of the Day Award for 18/11/14 for this very egregious faux pas!  Well done Christie! assholeoftheday.us/tagged/asshole-of-the-day

    Upworthy — There is some major education of voters that is sorely needed so that they can see what is happening under their noses.  If mayday.com can help in that regard that will be a help

    The New Yorker — McTurtle might want to take credit for doing these things, but the Republicanus/Teabaggers have been at it for years.  Andy's doing straight news again!

    Cartoon — And the networks are liberal?????  The US really needs to look at licensing etc similar to Canada.  We get better US news with better depth and honesty than you do.

  7. Daily Kos:  Anyone who would veto this bill should be forced to live in a gestation crate for a few weeks.  No animal should be treated so inhumanely as these female pigs are.  Anyone who is cruel to an animal is also usually cruel to people.  Maybe Christie would enjoy a meeting with Ernst.

    Upworthy:  I don't know if mayday.us can help either, but it is a start.  The amount of money spent on the last election could have built a lot of bridges in this country, that badly need to be built.

    The New Yorker:  I agree, TC, this sounds like  straight news, instead of satire.

    Cartoon:  Yes the did a blackout on the President yesterday, but full coverage for the Republican outrage today. 

     

  8. Thanks all.  Republican WAAAAAAAAA! always gets full coverage.

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