With a forecast high of 92° and high humidity, I need to get my kitty sun basking in early, before it gets too hot. The hallways of this building are still so hot, even in the early AM, that I cannot open the door to cook without losing the AC, so it’s lunchmeats and microwaveables today.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:37 (average 5:52). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos (Classic: 1/2015): American Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys are disgusted that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker chose to use their music for his intro at the Iowa Freedom Summit Saturday.
They’re especially peeved because this isn’t the first time Walker or his "cronies" have used Dropkick Murphys’ music at a political event.
I’m not a punk fan, but I sure give them kudos for their reaction to the Fartfuhrer of Fitzwalkerstan.
From NY Times: The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has proposed expanding a telephone subsidy program to help the poor gain access to high-speed Internet service. A few Republican lawmakers — notably John Thune of South Dakota in the Senate and Fred Upton of Michigan in the House — have complained of fraud in the existing program. The complaints are overblown and are no reason to undermine an excellent idea.
The subsidy program, known as Lifeline, was created in 1985, when home telephone service was essential to all Americans. In the last decade, high-speed Internet service, or broadband, has become just as important. But many poorer Americans cannot afford broadband; the F.C.C. estimates less than half of all households earning less than $25,000 a year have high-speed service at home, while more than 95 percent of those with incomes of $150,000 or more have it.
Under the proposal by the chairman, Tom Wheeler, Americans who qualify for Lifeline could chose to apply the program’s $9.25 a month subsidy toward wired or wireless Internet service. Currently, people can use the money only for a home phone or mobile phone service. To qualify, people have to make less than 135 percent of the federal poverty level or already receive benefits like Medicaid, food stamps or federal housing vouchers.
I fully support this. Internet access is more important today than telephone access was 30 years ago.
From Crooks ands Liars: As we discussed here back in April, the CEO of a credit card processing company in Seattle, Dan Price, decided to lower his pay to $70K a year and give all of his employees a raise. Which of course had the yappers over on Faux "news" going nuts, and attacking Price as a socialist who is just out to get attention.
Their little tirade drew this response from Russell Brand, who called took apart the Cashin’ In crew apart for their callousness and utter disregard those struggling to get by in America:
On this Saturday’s Cashin’ In, the talking heads were outraged!!!… outraged I tell you that a high school sociology teacher would dare to use Russell Brand’s video as part of a class on poverty in America and how it’s treated in the media.
As we discussed here back in April, the CEO of a credit card processing company in Seattle, Dan Price, decided to lower his pay to $70K a year and give all of his employees a raise. Which of course had the yappers over on Faux "news" going nuts, and attacking Price as a socialist who is just out to get attention.
Their little tirade drew this response from Russell Brand, who called took apart the Cashin’ In crew apart for their callousness and utter disregard those struggling to get by in America:On this Saturday’s Cashin’ In, the talking heads were outraged!!!… outraged I tell you that a high school sociology teacher would dare to use Russell Brand’s video as part of a class on poverty in America and how it’s treated in the media.
Barf Bag Alert!!
Note that the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, is treating Brand’s satirical humor as literal, but Brand did go too far in one way. Comparing a Faux Noise talking head, Jonathan Hoenig, to a rat is too insulting… to the rat.
Cartoon:
20 Responses to “Open Thread–6/7/2015”
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4:52 average still 5:52. I don't suppose sepia is any worse than any other color really.
DKos – Of course the Dropkick Murphys CAN sue Walker under copyright law. Republicans, insluding Fitzpatrick, Reagan, Bachman, and Walker apparently think they are exempt from copyright law. But the copyright isn't the issue for them. They simply don't want to be associated with him in any way because he tarnishes them. They've said they won't sue – and I'm confident that's because they feel a lawsuit would do more to cement tham with Walker in the public mind in the long run than a cease-and-desist tweet. Boy, they are getting some hate on Twitter though!
NY Times – Fraud, my – ahem, fraud my body part. What's the fraud? The subsidy is being used for internet instead of phone? Well, make that legal and there is no fraud. Wasn't that easy? I see, though, that the fraud there actually was, was done by businesses, not consumers. So Republican to penalize actual prople for misbehavior by business!
Crooks and Liars – I'm not sure they should be faulted for taking satiical humor as literal – seeing as the right is so extreme that it is difficult to satirize; it's hard enough to believe the reality; true satire would beggar suspension of disbelief. They should, however, be faulted for actually believing the cr*p that comes from theor own mouths.
Cartoon – Well, all righty, then.
That's a crap-load of fault!!
Have a glorious morning of basking in the sun, TomCat, and then a day of leasure indoors with the AC on. You deserve it.
NY Times: John Thune of South Dakota in the Senate and Fred Upton of Michigan in the House who complained of fraud in the existing Lifeline program most likely are afraid that by giving the poor access to high-speed internet, they might realize by reading independent sources that they've been conned out of most subsidies and welfare by Republicans these past decades and that it is only going to get worse if they don't go out and vote next election.
Crooks & Liars: As a proud Socialist I say: Kudos to the teacher AND the school principal that stood by him. The teacher understands perfectly that Russel Brand's approach is the perfect way to grab his pupils attention and get the message across. Russel speaks their language and he's absolutely right. And the way Fau news is trying to score points by talking derogatorily about liberals is just so pathetic. But it has given this teacher new material for his next lesson, LOL
Cartoon: Yup, the little person can be replaced by almost anything, it will always count for less than money. The GOP hasn't figured that out yet.
Even before 9:00 AM the sun was still hot, but I managed a few minutes. Thanks.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/07/scott-walker-gay-marriage_n_7529072.html
More exclusive thinking. Amend the Constitution to make same sex marriage illegal?
If he gets this amendment, which I doubt he will, what next? Will he make it illegal to go to any church but his?
Smoke and mirrors.
Sounds like you need a petition from the residents to get them to air condition the hall ways.
Daily Kos: I am not familiar with this band, either, but good for them, letting the Walker know how they feel.
NY Times: I fully support this, too. The internet is currently our only resource to find news that the corporate owned tv stations will not air. I use the internet to learn about what ever I am interested in that day. The free or low cost cell phone program is still being vilified, guess the internet, bb service will be, too. Don't let the poor have anything that we have is the Conservative mantra.
Crooks and Liars: This reminds me of the rants we heard in the sixties when my Freshman Lit teacher had us read Harry Caudill's "Night Comes To The Cumberlands". That book was a real eye opener for me because it showed how badly the people in the coal fields had been treated by the corporations that ran the coal mines. Of course faux news thinks Russell Brand is an idiot, he is not a right wing conservative.
Cartoon: The best graphic ever to describe how our country is being run today!
3:12 Now if only that tap was attached to a resevoir of cold water that would refresh me!
3:34 I guess Tom wasn't thirsty today. Keep hydrated in that heat, Puddy Tat!
4:02 I couldn't get the faucet turned all the way off. It kept dripping.
That Sasquatch is parching a poor thisty kitten during a heat wave. 😉
I read in a story linked from Freekibblekat this morning that the best way for kitties to keep hydrated is by eating wet food (or as some say, gooshyfood).
My vet also recommended that I feed Nike wet cat food.
I've ended up doing a mix of dry Hill's CD Urinary cat food along w/ Friskies mixed w/ the water off a can of tuna. (I eat the tuna – he get the water rationed as a mix to wet the Friskies).
I know Friskies is probably not the best, but I tried other wet cat food including Blue Buffalo – but he didn't like any of them. You go w/ what works.
I'm currently a bit concerned because he's doing more genital licking than in the past, which can be a sign of urinary tract problems in males. But he's acting normal, eating normal and urinating normal – so I'm sitting tight for right now.
(My second cat was in the vet "hospital" for NINE days with urethral lithiasis [little crystal stones in his urethra] – at a cost of $1,000.00+! And that was a 50% reduction because I'm friends w/ the vet and his wife was a nurse in our office.)
Puzzle — 3:12 Now if only that tap was attached to a resevoir of cold water that would refresh me!
Daily Kos — I think I would also have threatened him with legal action. Not only has he been caught with this scam before, but so have other Republicanus/Teabaggerum.
NY Times — I think this is a great idea because either telephone or internet service are required when looking for work. That the Republicanus/Teabaggerum should oppose this when they continue to complain about "lazy moochers" is so typical of them. However, if the GOP ever succeed in cutting off SNAP or Medicaid, there will be more than one issue.
Crooks and Liars — Kudos to the high school teacher and to Russell Brand, both educating people on social issues that are relevant today. And kudos to the school district for upholding the lesson. Faux Noise succeeded in demonstrating their own bias, ignorance and non relevance.
Cartoon — Well said! Even a Republicanus/Teabaggerum can understand their philosophy in pictures.
Ypu can't even get tax forms anymore without ngoing onlibe to order or print them.
Daily Kos: While this band's music is not my taste, glad that the band sent Walker an awesome note to cease and desist from using their music in his political rallies. Guess that Walker and cronies do not understand the real message, meaning and words of this song. Another dumb tool member of the Koch Party.
NY Times: The two GOP people, John Thune of South Dakota in the Senate and Fred Upton of Michigan, are worried about fraud. The GOP commits more fraud in one day than those poor people wanting Lifeline Services for internet access for a couple of hundreds of years.
Crooks & Liars: Great lesson done by this teacher in teaching an important lesson was given of social issues of today. Faux Noise, as usual, cannot understand nor learn much due to its own lack of intelligence.
Cartoon: Excellent. The value of money outweighs the values of human life as depicted in this cartoon is what the GOP/TP/Koch Party represents.
Daily Kos ~ They should send him a bill and start legal action against his campaign.
NY Times ~ I'm surprised that only 2 have stepped up and criticized the program. I'm sure that most of their Party agree with them. High speed internet is important.
Crooks & Liars ~ I'm not a Russell Brand fan but this just put him up a notch in my book. Anyone who can annoy the FAUX talking heads that much is A-OK!
Cartoon ~ Sad but very true.
Kudos to Wheeler and Price and Brand and the HS teacher
Amen and hugs to all. I had my early am solar bask and then I took a cat nap.