May 222015
 

Last night I returned from the shower and reached into my drawer for clean underwear.  Imagine my horror when I discovered a handful of air!!!  So I rose early this morning and did the dreaded task, but am now even more tired and further behind than before.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:05 (average 7:30).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Upworthy: Her neighbors are paying $18 a month. Joyce Villegas has been paying almost $400 a month for over three years because of delays from Hawaiian Electric, the state’s utility company.

 

Here we have a case of a blue state trying to do the right thing, but failing to organize it properly. The result is that people still waiting are subsidizing the utility service of people who have installed panels. 1:1 buyback sounds nice, but it’s not realistic, because it ignores the need to maintain the power grid.

From The New Yorker: Suspects in the recent biker brawl in Waco, Texas, only slightly outnumber the 2016 Republican Presidential candidates, leading some voters to have difficulty distinguishing between the two groups, a new poll shows.

According to the poll, voters who were presented the names of a biker-brawl suspect and a Republican Presidential candidate correctly identified both only thirty per cent of the time.

For example, fifty-seven per cent of voters erroneously identified the former Texas Governor Rick Perry as a member of the Bandidos motorcycle gang, while forty-one per cent believed he belonged to the Cossacks.

Adding to voters’ confusion, the biker brawlers and G.O.P. candidates have identical views on a host of issues, such as gun rights and whether they would feel comfortable attending a gay wedding.

Andy is off in a couple places here. First, isn’t "Wacko" a better way to spell the town’s name? Second, he missed an obvious solution. Just replace the current clown car with the biker brawl suspects, who are eminently more qualified to govern.

From Media Matters: Fox News’ misleading smear of food stamp recipients as surfing freeloaders found its way into a congressional hearing aimed at examining the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

On May 20, the House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing addressing the "Past, Present, and Future of SNAP." Throughout the hearing, Fox News’ misleading 2013 special, "The Great Food Stamp Binge" that attempted to make a surfing freeloader "the new face of food stamps" was referenced several times as evidence of abuse within the program.

Fox’s misrepresentation of food stamp recipients found its way into the hearing when two members on the committee used the special as anecdotal evidence of abuse within SNAP. Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) used Fox’s example of a "surfer out in California living on food stamps and eating lobster" as evidence of abuse within the program, though he "forg[o]t which network" aired the special.

Later, Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) also referenced "the surfer that was on one of the news channels," claiming, "unfortunately, we see that in our districts, and I hear stories about that every day."

The Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, has become the Republican Reichsministry of Policy.

Cartoon:

0522Cartoon

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  16 Responses to “Open Thread–5/22/2015”

  1. 6:26 average (still?) 7:30.  So, is it harder to solve, or to pronounce?

    Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) has written a bill which, if passed, would improve mental health care.  He has even found a Republican Senator, Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to co-sponsir it so it can be bipartisan.  If you want to sign a petition supporting it, it's at http://www.chrismurphy.com/mental-health-delivery  Readers Digest version, it addresses rebuilding treatment capacity, integrating mental health care with physical health care, and making sure we have enough mental health care professionals.  End soapbox for today (unless something else comes up).

    Upworthy – That's indeed too bad.  I did think 1:1 was supposed to be variable though, based on actual sunlight, if you will.  Of course another problem for homeowners is the need to insure the panels. and especially if they are leased.  There are some obscure industry forms which are right for this situation, but not every company is willing to use them, and it really doesn't affect the expense, it's just to establish who gets paid in a claim.  But it's messy if the homeowner, the insurance company, and the equipment lessor are not on the same page.

    New Yorker – I have difficulty giving you "eminently more qualified,". but I have no trouble with "at least equally qualified."

    Media matters – Are't there any Democrats on this committee?  (As opposed to DINOs?)  Didn't they call any sane witnesses?  Are they through  There are some highly qualified people who could epically take this down – if they could only get the opportunity.

    Cartoon – And he probably lives in a District represented by Bob Gibbs or Ted Yoho – unless he is the Arizonan whose wife ran him over in their SUV because he didn't vote.  Come to think of it, I guess he would look even more beat up.  I gather he is alive but disfigured.

    • I like Chris' bill, but it will die in place.

      I figure the gang is just evil.  Republicans are both evil and incompetent.

  2. Tom said  Last night I returned from the shower and reached into my drawer for clean underwear.  Imagine my horror when I discovered a handful of air!!!   LOL Tom  ROLF

     

     

  3. 4:29  Pretty posies!  "Tansies are mainly perennial herbs, but some are annuals and subshrubs." The perfect name for Jebby since big bro was known as "the shrub".

  4. Puzzle — 4:29  Pretty posies!  "Tansies are mainly perennial herbs, but some are annuals and subshrubs." The perfect name for Jebby since big bro was known as "the shrub".

    Upworthy — Moving in the correct direction, albeit slowly.

    The New Yorker — "According to the poll, voters who were presented the names of a biker-brawl suspect and a Republican Presidential candidate correctly identified both only thirty per cent of the time."  I am afraid that Andy might be doing some reporting again highlighting voter ignorance.

    Media Matters — "REP. MCGOVERN [D-MA]: I want to make sure the record is corrected on this, we heard a couple of times mention the guy who is a surfer on food stamps. That is not the reality of the program, and it's our job to tell anybody who says it is, that it isn't. The majority of people on this program are kids, are senior citizens, are those who are disabled.And of those who are able-bodied, the majority of them work."   Kudos to McGovern!

    Faux Noise is just that . . . false, spurious, fake, bogus, and generally rotten to the core!

    Cartoon — Remain in this position too long and you're stuck there for life!

    • So TC, today was a "nekked blogger" day!? Well at least it was hot! 

      Well, the dastardly deed is done now. I did 3 loads of laundry today. Now I just have to try to make the bed with the able (NOT) help of the fur babes!

  5. 18 wannabees,and not one(in my opinion) is

     Presidential material.. Lookit we have" Whack" Jobs, Idiots, Pseudo Religious hypocrits,,Perverts, Ignoramuses,,and those who could not find the same corner twice.

    The only thing missing is  qualified candidate..How pitiful that the repugs have NO genuine candidate!

    One more thought, if I may. Christians and Christianity are  being chased out of the middle east.

     "W" stated that he knew that God wanted him to be president, well God must be pretty miffed by now when he sees the disaster wrought by the "Liars Club." who precipitated the current and terrible situation.

    I am reminded of the saying. "Oh what a tangled web we weave,when first we practice to decieve" No more true words,would you not agree??

     

  6. Andy was so SPOT ON! He could put the whole bunch of bikers up for election and the outcome will probably be exactly THE SAME!

  7. The New Yorker: 
    While I agree, more or less, with Andy's assessment of his "biker brawl" article, I say that bikers, as a whole, are much better than the GOP/TP/Koch Party group of candidates for POTUS.

    I believe this "shootout" was a setup by various law enforcements to take the outlaw  bikers off the streets in one fell swoop with the use of undercover agents. The agents infiltrated the biker groups and instigated violence. 

    Media Matters: 
    If the Faux News and the GOP are looking for "waste", they should look no further than into the bloated military budget. In my opinion, the budget should be cut by 50%.

  8. Thanks TC – sorry, feeling bleurgh again – glad you've got the laudry done!

  9. I mean laundry!

  10. Thanks all.  Another rough day.  Hugs!

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