Outside there is a huge racket as the maintenance people are working on my side of the building this week. I’m not complaining, but I do hate being blasted out of a cat nap, after sleeping poorly, and if I want to do any solar basking, I’m likely to get drenched while walking out of range.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:55 (average 4:25). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Fantasy Football Recruiting:
We still need two new players for Lefty Blog Friends, our fantasy football league. How about you? For more information, click here.
Short Takes:
From Robert Reich: #11. WHY MEDICARE ISN’T THE PROBEM; IT’S THE SOLUTION
The Reich on the left pulled a fast one on me and came up with number 11, but true to form, our Reich is right, and the Reich in the right, the Republican Reich, is wrong. I could not find this on MoveOn, so please click through to Robert Reich, and share it from there.
From Daily Kos (classic: 1/2013): A reporter for NPR discovered a strange new light (see circled area above) where there used to be only North Dakota grassland. The light is produced by a massive 15,000 square mile area of fracking natural gas flareoffs produced by over 150 companies who have determined that it’s cheaper to burn-off about 29% of the natural gas that is produced by their oil wells.
The current levels of burning gas from the field inject two million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year which is the equivalent amount of pollution caused by 2.5 million cars. The flares produce carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulates.
The burnoff is equivalent to 30% of the total U.S. natural gas production. Currently, there is no legislation that requires fracking companies to recapture the natural gas they produce through fracking, although it’s only slightly more expensive to recapture the natural gas. Most of the companies have obtained government permission for the flare-offs with annual renewals. The industry argues that until the wells are completed it’s too expensive to recapture the natural gas.
What a bunch of mother frackers!! Since this is visible from outer space, at least aliens touring the solar system will know that the earth is not a safe place to land, without having to risk being gunned down by a Republican Ammosexuals.
From NY Times: The leader of a white supremacist group that has been linked to Dylann Roof, the suspect in the murder of nine African-Americans in a Charleston, S.C., church last week, has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republican campaigns, including those of 2016 presidential contenders such as Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum and Rand Paul, records show.
"Uranus Inspector" said he’ll return the money, and I suspect that "Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot" and "Frothmeister" will both do likewise, although none had any objection to taking money, in the first place, from an organization widely known as White Supremacist and listed as such by SPLC. They will get the money funneled back into their campaigns through white supremacist Republicans that haven’t been caught killing anyone recently. Click through for more Republicans in thrall to murderous white supremacists.
Cartoon:
36 Responses to “Open Thread–6/22/2015”
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3:56 average 4:25. Ice cream is nice. Food coloring not so much.
Medicare for all would indeed be the solution. I learned from my email this morning that health insurance companies in Colorado are trting to increase premiums by 89%. They tried this last year and didn't get away with it thanks to our DORA (Department of Regulatory Agencies). this year – we'll see.
DKos – Yup. Visible from space, but not visible to Republicans. God give me strength.
I see you also picked up on Earl Holt III. Since you've provided the background, all I need to provide is the petition for candidates to GIVE IT BACK. https://secure.pfaw.org/site/SPageNavigator/action.html;jsessionid=99000342AB5340D182690A8FE44D7B8E.app350b?survey_id=10060&autologin=true&utm_medium=email&utm_source=aa&utm_campaign=racism
Cartoon – The scary part is they are just about there. Ironically, in our system, it would probably help them to have numerous liberal parties to split the vote, but I guess they don't want to tamper with a classic.
PFAW petition in Joanne's box signed.
OK, here's my confession: I'm addicted to Antiques Roadshow. Tonight they aired an old (2000) show from Sacramento. One guy had a Belleek chamberpot with a decal of William Gladstone in the bottom (apparently the original owner was a Disraeli supporter). Belleek is still in business, I believe, and I WANT ONE! I want mine to have Dick Cheney in it. It doesn't even have to be made by Belleek. I just want one.
Just more out of curiosity, I looked up 'chamber pot' via Google and found this link.
Perhaps if you contact a local ceramic artist, studio, you could have a chamber pot made to your specs including Dick Cheney. lol. https://www.etsy.com/search?q=chamber%20pot&ref=market
Yes, the picture would have to be under the glaze (or enamel). Otherwise it would be unlikely to last with use. It's worth looking into LOL.
Nix the enamel. Consider the pleasure of watching your bodily waste destroy that face over time.
LOL!!
You make a great point, TC! ROFL!
Oh, Joanne, I want one, too! I also watched it last night.
LOL and with great gusto!
Well, I hope you're as lucky as I've been, as I've gotten to go to TWO Antique Roadshows here in KCMO.
The first was back in 2002 at Municipal Auditorium, and the second in 2013 at Bartle Hall (a much bigger venue).
Both were by Lottery, but being selected for the first one (if memory serves) seems to have been more by luck – whereas the one in 2013 factored in when you entered. Two people can go w/ each winning ticket, and I took my aunt both times. She and her husband (my Mom's brother, so my Uncle) were addicted viewers and cut glass collectors. (She took jewelry and antique dolls both times – as she pretty much knew what the value of all her cut glass was. I took old toys from Germany and ink wells. Neither of us had anything valued greater than $100.)
You're assigned a time-slot when you'll be allowed entrance, and at the first one at the Municipal Auditorium we had to stand outside in the July or August heat. The second one the lines were longer – but we got to be inside in AC at Bartle Hall … but MUCH longer standing time .
They run a VERY tight ship. If it looks like you're dawdling/gawking, they come up to check when your ticket time-slot was stamped – and usher you out if you're overstaying your welcome. (This we BOTH know from personal escorting out of the main floor.)
Neither one of us were selected, but it was still VERY enjoyable, and I'd do it again in New York Minute!
A note WRT the mechanics and "tickets": You're allowed to bring two items for evaluation. Or two "types" of items. My aunt brought quite a few pieces of jewelry – but they were lumped together as one selection.
At the second station, you show what you're wanting evaluated to a assessor who decides what section you should go to (Art, Toys, Furniture, etc.) and then head to those areas. Unfortunately they can be at the opposite ends of a huge venue – so you have to then go to the back of another line for each of the two.
We both thoroughly enjoyed both outings, but it does involve quite a bit of walking and STANDING, which was problematic for my aunt who was 85 y/o at the second show. And unless you both have the same classifications of what you want evaluated, you can't stay together.
They have people frequently checking your ticket to make sure you're going to the right place (and not just "hanging out"). Like I say, they run a tight ship – and I can't blame them a bit. They really can't have hundreds of people just milling around.
MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2015 FULL SHOW | HEADLINES |
Today, a Democracy Now! exclusive: A new presidential candidate enters the race.
Exclusive: Green Party’s Dr. Jill Stein Announces She Is Running for President on Democracy Now!
Video and Text:
http://www.democracynow.org/2015/6/22/exclusive_green_partys_jill_stein_announces
I like Jill, but a vote for her is a vote for the Republican.
TC, I signed up for the Fantasy Football League. There’s no place to comment on the football page.
That's great Vivian!
Welcome, Vivian! It's a fun time, win or lose.
Everyone, Viv cant join the league, because her cell phone won't support the interface. I think sene meant she signed up for NFL,com to visit.
Viv, to visit, try this link.
http://lbf.league.fantasy.nfl.com/
Not for one second do I buy that a presidential campaign that gets TENS of THOUSANDS of dollars from an individual doesn't immediately exercise some due diligence and scope that person out. So Cruz, Paul & Santorum just shrugging their shoulders and shuffling their feet trying to claim "We had NO idea …" just doesn't cut it.
But putting that outside, this white supremacist did NOT donate his money to these Repubicans because he felt sorry for them. He did it because he loved the sound of their dog whistles and embraced their racist policies.
Sorry boys, you're HISTORY now!
That is exactly the point I'm trying to make. Thank you!
Robert Reich is right as usual. I shared this on Facebook. We will never get the current Congress to vote for this, though. They won't even let Medicare negotiate prices with the pharmaceutical companies. We need to kick the bums out and install term limits, then maybe we would have leaders who work for us instead of major corporations.
Daily KOs: I wrote to both my so called Senators about fracking, they both replied that it was necessary to make American energy independent. Yeah, and they need their paychecks from the energy companies, too.
NY Times: Did you see the additional names he had given donations? Bachman and Flake were two that popped out at me. He knows who to support to get help with his racist agenda.
Cartoon: How they wish they could. Hopefully, some Americans are waking up enough to realize the sop they have been fed by the Republicans.
I did, Edie. The one that jumped out to me was Steve King. My BFF has family in his district.
2:42 There are 2 stores very near me . . . one makes old fashion ice cream in various flavours, and the other makes fresh fruit sorbets, frozen yoghurt, and ice cream. I can tastes the cool, fruity flavours of lime, raspberry and lemon sorbets even now. My favourites along with pineapple and orange. Think I'll go on a short field trip tomorrow!
3:20 Lynn, I think you saved TomCat from breaking a tooth on that fake ice cream cone. I am lucky enu=ough to live a mere 5 miles away from the best home made ice cream in the USA. The dairy farm processes and sells their own milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and eggs. I've been eating the strawberry this week. After all, it is strawberry season here.
They even still have a team of horses to spread the manure on their fields. No. They are not Amish, although I have many Amish farmers as neighbors.
3:15 My ice cream melted. Now I am all sticky.
I have B&J in the freezer
Puzzle — 2:42 There are 2 stores very near me . . . one makes old fashion ice cream in various flavours, and the other makes fresh fruit sorbets, frozen yoghurt, and ice cream. I can tastes the cool, fruity flavours of lime, raspberry and lemon sorbets even now. My favourites along with pineapple and orange. Think I'll go on a short field trip tomorrow!
Robert Reich — Have a look at healthcare costs as a percentage of GDP http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS/
Country name
2010
2011
2012
2013
Canada
11.1
10.9
10.9
10.9
Israel 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.2
Norway
9.4
9.3
9.3
9.6
Sweden
9.5
9.5
9.6
9.7
Switzerland
10.9
11.1
11.4
11.5
United Kingdom
9.4
9.2
9.3
9.1
United States
17.1
17.1
17.0
17.1
When looking at these numbers, the US private system costs are about the highest in the world, and the system the most inefficient. The others listed are single payer systems
Reich is correct . . . the single payer Medicare IS the solution!
Daily Kos — "…it’s cheaper to burn-off about 29% of the natural gas that is produced by their oil wells." but at what cost?
"The burnoff is equivalent to 30% of the total U.S. natural gas production."
Given the degradation of the environment and human health from the pollutants, it is time for regulations to force the recovery of natural gas and be damned the companies that insist upon putting profits ahead of people and the environment.
NY Times — Ain't it a bitch when a politician gets caught with his pants down so to speak. In 2012 as I recall, Rmoney courted the White Supremacist, neo Nazi and related votes to shore up Republicanus/Teabaggerum numbers. There were no "oh me, oh mys" then. What is the difference now? Could it be that the White Spremacist connection to this fresh heinous act threatens their political aspirations? Had Dylann Storm Roof not alledgedly committed this heinous act, would these donations remain hidden? Personally, I think so.
Cartoon — The seeds are already planted. Now for the tending of the garden. Et tu United States?
Sorry TC, didn't realize these were all hyper links.
Everybody, read the figures down in the same order as the years are listed. I had a problem with Israel . . . must be Netanyahu's influence.
OOPS!!
Nameless, thanks for the advice on the Mueller wrist stabiliser. My wrist was taped for the weekend but I removed it Sunday night because it was so itchy. Seems I am sensitive to this tape and bandaids. Replaced it with a wrist stabiliser which was much better for support. Apparently, I have sprained my wrist and hand compensating for the weakness in my bumb knee. What a mess, but I'm getting along. I better hope that my brain doesn't give up the ghost from trying to figure new ways to compensate.
Lynn, I checked for you. Amazon has them, so you can get online. Don't have to go to Wal-Fart,
Thanks TC. I bought the stabiliser at my pharmacy, a Shoppers Drug Mart, which is wholly Canadian owned, or at least was and hopefully still is. It's where I get products for my mother as well as all my prescriptions. They treat me well and I pretty much stick with them, and have done so for 20 years. I did go to WalFart a few years ago to get pull-ups for mum but only because nobody else carried her size. My Shoppers' ordered them in especially for me and would automatically order them so I didn't have to call in. That service deserves my loyalty. Besides, they are always there to answer questions about drugs/supplements and are very pleasant to deal with. Too often a rarity these days.
If the weather doesn't get too hot, the men outside probably can get a lot done in a week's time and you'll be off the hook by the weekend, TomCat. Just hold on to that thought when you're rudely awakened next time, it's about the only thing you can do.
Robert Reich: Robert is correct in claiming that Medicare for everyone is part of the (11 part) solution, not part of the problem. Because America can't start from scratch and now has to fight the all powerful insurance and specialists mobs, it'll be a hard battle and even if you manage to implement something close to the NHS, it'll never be perfect, because the NHS isn't either, but anything going in the direction of a single payer and federal control on prices is a 100 times better than what you have now. Just look how well Obamacare is working out for millions of people.
Daily Kos: The burn-off of excess natural gas, you know, the stuff they try to get out of the ground by fracking elsewhere pollutes the air with "the equivalent amount of pollution caused by 2.5 million cars". Yup, global warming and climate change has nothing to do with human intervention. Have you gone completely bonkers over there?
NY Times: Question: Why does it take a nutjob White Supremacist killing nine black people before people are outraged that Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum and Rand Paul accepted campaign money from White Supremacist organizations? Why weren't people upset about this before the killing? Bloody hypocrites.
Cartoon: So? America effectively has a two party system, with not all that much difference between the parties except in election times, and the system so rigged one party wins even if it doesn't get the majority vote. There's just no need for a ban.
Robert Reich ~ Excellent! Shared on FB.
Daily Kos ~ It's simply wonderful that ET can see the good old USA from his space craft. Now he knows where not to land.
NY Times They are running to return the donations like lemmings following each othe over the cliff. http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/gop-candidates-return-funds-leader-hate-group-n379821
Cartoon ~ Their dream come true!
Thanks all. Running out of gas here.
Any system that does not negotiate drug prices is stupid. No purchasing agent worth his salt would fail to negotiate.
America, you are being "ripped off" by big pharma. actual figures were given on last Sunday 60 minutes. The profits and handouts(to Washington ,of course,) are a national disgrace..Frankly the A.C.A.is toothless.To bad, as one who grew up in Western Europe,I know that single payer works. ,and has done since the early 50,s!!
Also. I am a health Care professional of 40+ years, and know from which I speak. Too Bad !
TY TC – still v poorly, sorry.