I spent a good part of today watching the swearing in of the new Canadian government and getting excited about the possibilities. I am planning an article about it but it is still largely in my head. Later I indulged in some down time with my babes. What a purr-fest we had. Tomorrow I have physio so things will be a bit busier.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 4:02 (average 6:02). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Given that today is the day after the 2015 elections, I thought for some this picture might be appropriate, especially in Republican circles. H/t to Ted W and Carol B @ Care2.
Short Takes
Alternet — "Given the nature of class politics in America. Given the fact that we have a corrupt campaign finance system," Sanders said. "Given that we have an economy that is rigged. The major point that I am making is that establishment politicians cannot make the kind of changes we need. You can't run a super PAC and take money from Wall Street and say, I'm going to take on Wall Street."
Unfortunately, I cannot embed the video of Chris Hayes and Bernie Sanders. Please click through for the interview video. As Charles Koch said to Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough when he asked about political donations "I expect something in return."
International Business Times — One of Iran’s commercial airlines last week bought a U.K.-manufactured jet with the aim of using it to deliver Iranian soldiers and weapons to Syria in support of the embattled regime of President Bashar Assad, International Business Times has learned. The purchase of the aircraft by an Iranian concern represents a clear violation of the deal brokered by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, under which Iran pledged to scale back its nuclear program in exchange for a lifting of sanctions, said senior American officials and attorneys who handle issues associated with sanctions compliance.
“Temporary sanctions relief … currently in place does not cover the sale or lease of complete aircraft to Iran,” said Betsy Bourassa, a representative of the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence within the Treasury Department in Washington. And a representative of the State Department told IBT that it was aware of the sale and is investigating the transaction.
Click through for the rest of the story. In my mind, this does not bode well for the success of the Iran nuclear agreement, but we'll have to wait to find out the results of the State Department's investigation. Are Republicans going to try to pillory John Kerry over the deal? They sure do like political lynchings.
Think Progress — “This bill is about recognizing that the fossil fuel reserves that are on our public lands should be managed in the public interest, and the public interest is for us to help drive a transition from fossil fuels to a clean energy future,” Merkley said on a press call Tuesday. “We don’t have a lot of time to do this, so there’s an urgency to it, and a place that’s readily available for us to act is on the fossil fuels that are on our public lands.”
Merkley referenced findings from earlier this year that 80 percent of coal reserves — along with a third of global oil reserves and half of global natural gas reserves — should stay in the ground between now and 2050 in order to keep warming to 2°C, the limit that many scientists agree we need to stay below in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Banning new oil and gas leases on public lands, as the bill would do, would be a step towards this target.
This is as it should be. Unfortunately, as Senator Merkley said, he isn't expecting much action because of Congressional leadership [or lack thereof].
My Universe — From the Animal Rescue Site — Some silly cats are confused and think they aren’t cats at all.
15 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 05/11/2015”
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love the first politician pic, must have been a Republican
It definitely WAS a Republican!
5:52 (6:02) For a terrestrial plant in the daisy family, it sure looks like it belongs under water.
AlterNet – You know, I was shocked when I read Charles Koch said to Joe Scarborough "I expect something in return." Not that we don't all know it's true, but that he said it so openly. The whole conversation on political contributions has been defined by he left pointing out that the rich are buying government with these monies, and the right and the rich finding ingenious, if not believeable, ways to deny there is any influence. Now Charles is admitting in public that the left has been correct all along. Either he is very stupid, or he is very confident that he has already bought so much that he well be impossible to topple.
IBT – Republicans will definitely be looking for someone to try to pillory. Given that the transaction involved the UK rather than the US, they will need to look farther afield than the actual transaction itself in order to pillory a Democrat. You know it will be interesting to watch.
Think Progress – This is a good day to bring up Senator Merkley. He is just sending a petition round on "keep it in the ground." See http://www.jeffmerkley.com/petition/keep-it-in-the-ground/ From the cover email:
To avert a climate crisis, we need to cut back on carbon pollution.
Where do we start? I recently asked you to weigh in:
End all new leases for coal mining, oil drilling, tar sands extraction, and fracking on our public lands?
Stop all new leases for drilling off coastlines of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico?
Prohibit offshore drilling in the Arctic?
A lot of people told me it was too hard to decide – they’re all so important.
And I agree. That’s why, yesterday, I introduced an aggressive proposal in the U.S. Senate that does it all.
P. S. Happy Guy Fawkes Day.
I was trying to abstain, but you forced my hand …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot_in_popular_culture
"Either he is very stupid, or he is very confident that he has already bought so much that he well be impossible to topple." — I favour the latter as I don't think Charles Koch is stupid. At 80, he may be going senile, but . . .
Love your new Prime Minister Trudeau's response to why his cabinet is 50% women:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/05/justin-trudeaus-because-its-2015-gender-parity-comment-gets-world-praise.html
That is already the title of a piece I am doing about Trudeau and the new cabinet which I hope will be ready either tomorrow or Saturday.
Looking forward to it!
Just chalk my comment up as your typical movie cineplex Preview of Coming Attractions ...
4:40 I wilted near the end.
Shall I throw a little water your way? 😥 There's some!
I fear that Mitch and Ryan want to send the world into a doomsday scenario if they can.
I thought you might use that pix.
Love the kitties
I signed Merkley's petition, on e-mail, glad you bring attention to it.
"First politicion" is great. And, yes, there is no congressional leadership, unless one thinks of their trying to lead us deeper into the cesspool.
Many good wishs to your new P.M.
I rejoice with you in the composition of your new government, Lynn. Very 2015 indeed! Glad to hear you also had some me-time, well us-time to be more exact, with your purring fur babes. Nothing to calm and relax you like a good pur close to you.
Alternet: Of course Bernie Sanders hits the nail on its head when he states that you can't run a super PAC and take money from Wall Street and at the same time tell your followers that you're going to take on Wall Street. Democrats aren't fooled by that. And Bernie remains very credible because he refuses the super PACs and money from Wall Street and is running on small, private donations only. Go Bernie, go.
International Business Times: The UK was also involved in brokering the deal with Iran, but although the plane is apparently constructed in the UK, it was sold by an individual, A. Grundlingh, not a country, who isn't registered as a British entrepreneur but had the plane registered in South Africa, where he is the director of three aircraft-affiliated companies and a shareholder in a financial-services firm. But if its UK-built, the British must have known about these machinations but I wouldn't be surprised if its conservative government conveniently looked the other way.
Think Progress: One can only hope (an pressure for it, mind you) that more senators will join Merkley in his plea to leave new found reserves of fossil fuels in the ground from now on and look to green energy instead. It would be even better if they joined him in a plea to leave older reserves in the ground too from now on, but that would be asking the impossible.
Thanks everyone!