Yesterday was an enjoyable holiday. I did quite a bit of cooking for a friend, but only wore George for the time I needed to stand up. I made ham steaks, cheese mashed potatoes, assorted fresh veggies, fresh pears, and store-bought pumpkin pie. Then I ate moderately enough to keep my blood sugar below 120. I was pretty pleased with myself. For the next couple days I want to rest up, as my desk will be replaced with a smaller unit on Monday, and I have both PT and OT coming Tuesday.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:10 (average 6:02). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos (best of 2015): The most racist areas in the United States
I did not realize the extent to which parts of the Midwest and Northeast are even more racist than large parts of the South.
From NY Times: Foreign arms sales by the United States jumped by almost $10 billion in 2014, about 35 percent, even as the global weapons market remained flat and competition among suppliers increased, a new congressional study has found.
American weapons receipts rose to $36.2 billion in 2014 from $26.7 billion the year before, bolstered by multibillion-dollar agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. Those deals and others ensured that the United States remained the single largest provider of arms around the world last year, controlling just over 50 percent of the market.
Isn’t it sad that death is a key and growing US export?
From Alternet: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: ‘Wack Flag.’
It was Jon Stewart’s final season at "The Daily Show," which dismayed many yet made for plenty of memorable moments. After terrorist Dylann Roof murdered nine African-American churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, the team over at Fox News couldn’t wait to take to the airwaves to criticize those who dared label the crime for what it was. Sean Hannity even took a moment to self-righteously call discussion of Roof’s hate crime and calls for gun control a leftist agenda-advancing “sickness.” “Yes, it’s a sickness, this rush to use tragedy to advance your narrative,” Stewart responded. “Combine that with an inability for self examination, an almost comical degree of self-exculpatory rhetoric, flag pins, a little bit of leg, and a complete immunity to irony: you got yourself a full-blown case of Fox-abetes.” Then he showed footage of how Fox anchors responded to the killing of two New York City cops weeks earlier (spoiler: it involves a lot of blaming Obama, Mayor Bill de Blasio and suggestions of racism), as glorious a display of hypocrisy as has ever been on television.
This is just one of the seventeen best instances of political comedy this year. Click through for the other sixteen.
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread–12/26/2015”
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Very glad you had a good holiday, cooking up a storm.
It is hugely sad that we are the source of so much of the deathand destruction in the world, and growing the potential for same…with Wall Street, and the munitions industry, grinning all the way to the bank.
Rampant racism in the Northeast and midwest is a surprise, at first glance, then I recal that the KKK was active in parts of Long Island, N.Y., not long ago…may still be, for all I know; in N.J., as well- and this is just to my minimum awareness about this disgrace!
3:52 Those look really good . . . rice crisps maybe coated in milk chocolate? Guaranteed to send my blood sugars into orbit.
Bigfooted again!
Puzzle — 3:52 Those look really good . . . rice crisps maybe coated in milk chocolate? Guaranteed to send my blood sugars into orbit.
Daily Kos — Like you, I was surprised by the amount of dark blue in Northeast and the Midwest. I expected much more in the South. But then, when I think back over 50 years ago, my mother's father who lived in New York state, was very, very racist. In my opinion, Archie Bunker was very tame compared to my grandfather. I don't even like calling him my grandfather. When I have to refer to him, I usually call him "my mother's father".
NY Times — In October just days before the Canadian election, it was reported in Vice that
In another Vice article,
It saddens me greatly to know that Canada is contributing to global arms sales . . .in fact is tenth in global sales. That to me is not in keeping with our values.
"Isn’t it sad that death is a key and growing US export?" – how Republican!
Alternet — I could not see all of these as they are not available in Canada and http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca does not have them. In addition, hulu is not broadcast in Canada. However, I loved John Oliver. And he proved the point that some people are really gullible (or don't comprehend satire) when the line on the video had to be added saying that he received 4 donations and the donation line etc had been closed. Also enjoyed Stephen Colbert with Jon Stewart and Cameron Esposito.
Cartoon — Why does there appear to be tinsel on a tree when a kitten or cat is in the house? Little one was safer not going into the bowels of this Christmas tree!
Good shot on the blood sugars . . . that is 6.7 on the Canadian scale! Mine were good on Christmas day having eaten a traditional turkey dinner with cheesecake and fresh strawberries the night before, but this morning they sucked at 9.2 or 165.6 on the US scale. My doctor is not happy with my bs so we are trying different things. Arrggghhh!!!!! And kudos for helping a neighbour. It sounds like you're getting closer to a regular routine!
I'm so happy to hear you had a good Christmas and shared it with a friend, TomCat, and that you found out how much you were capable of without running into boundaries and being thrown back. You can pat yourself on the back for the way you've been coping this past few weeks. I'll send you a few Aussie strength catnaps to rest up before you get a new unit fitted.
Daily Kos: It's rather shocking to see that the rural Northeast is far more racist than I ever imagined and Baltimore is a virtual hotbed of racism resulting in one of the lowest life expectancies in the world. It seems we've been looking in the wrong direction for some time now, partly because the South is of course still very racist and partly because Southern States have traditionally have been always been very bland and overt about it. The racism of the rural Northeast is of the even nastier sneaky and covert type. The latter is much less visible and therefore much easier to overlook and harder to combat. The GOP and Faux News have done more damage there than we ever expected.
Alternet: Darn, couldn't see any of the videos, but there's no doubt in my mind that the political landscape of 2016 will give us plenty of great comedy next year. Young and modern comedians never had it so easy.
Cartoon: If Christmas is all you're worried about then it is safe to come out.
It sounds like you had a great meal. I had family here for Christmas dinner and really enjoyed it. My son and his family were here for three days so that made it a happy time.
Daily Kos: I am not at all surprised at the extent of racism in the midwest. I lived in Michigan and have friends in Ohio, and the racism there is far worse than it is here. I have a Tn., Va., Ky. mix accent, so sound very southern most of the time. I encountered racism on the phone a lot while I lived in Mi. because they assumed I was black. The south did not invent racism, nor does it have a corner on it.
NY Times: Yes it is sad that death causing equipment is making so much money. Seems the whole world is blood thirsty, and since the arms dealers control so much of our government it is no surprise that the US is the biggest seller.
The Daily Show: I love "Fox-abetis". Describes a few peopl that I know! We all miss Jon.
Cartoon: My granddaughter was here for three days. My cats were so happy when she left. They had really enjoyed the Christmas decorations until she got here. They stayed hidden almost the whole time. They live with two old people and are used to their space.
I hope everyone had a good Christmas.
Thanks all! Hugs!! I'm glad you all had a great day!!
You are a wonderful cook! I hope and trust it was apprediated.
4:44 (average 8:13 when I did it, which was about noon Monday) I must have been hungry – but I'll bet I was still too slow.
DKos – Ferguson started to give me a clue about the Midwest. The Northeast still boggles my mind, though.
NY Times – After one has said evil incarnate, what else is left to say?
AlterNet – AlterNet does great summary collections, whoch means it is all over this time of year. These are all stunning. I wish I had the time and energy to watch more thoroughly.
Cartoon – Probably not.