Well it was a very busy day today. I left the house at 9:30 this morning and did not return until 21:30. I started with physio therapy, then a meeting with the financial planner who handles much of my mother's investments, and finally a visit with my mother. After I fed her, I sat brushing her hair for two hours. The care centre staff "don't like it" when I do that because my mother becomes so relaxed and then they have to rouse her to get ready for bed. Truthfully, my mother becomes very relaxed such that you can see it in her face. They truly do like to see her that relaxed. She is one of their favourites. Tomorrow will be much quieter. The weather here is sunny and warm at 24 C (75 F) after a cold, wet weekend. According to the news, Kansas and Texas are suffering through severe rain and flooding. Too bad some of that rain couldn't fall in California where it is badly needed. I hope all will be safe.
Short Takes
Alternet — Emails obtained by The Intercept from the State Department reveal new details of Hillary Clinton's behind-the-scenes efforts to export fracking—a method of extracting oil and natural gas from underground shale deposits—to foreign countries during her tenure as Secretary of State. The emails, acquired through a Freedom of Information Act request, could be particularly damning in light of Clinton's recent attempts to ally herself with the anti-fracking movement. …
The recently obtained emails appear to contradict the anti-fracking position the Democratic frontrunner takes in the spot. Recently, Clinton has tried to distance herself from the fossil fuel industry, fending off attacks from her opponent, Bernie Sanders, whose campaign argued that she "has relied heavily on funds from lobbyists working for the oil, gas and coal industry."
Several years ago now, there were protests and petitions regarding the sale of asbestos to developing countries by Canada, while the use of asbestos in Canada was banned. Certainly in this regard, Canada was ethically challenged and deserved, in my opinion, to be censured. Although there is considerable fracking in the US, federal and state governments and corporations are being challenged over fracking because of the many undesirable effects such as earthquakes and polluted water. Clinton has allied herself with anti-fracking groups as part of her campaign. Is Clinton being disingenuous about her position on fracking, or has she changed her position?
Politico — Donald Trump observed Memorial Day weekend on Sunday by speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial at a rally of thousands of motorcyclists, where he praised veterans, called reporters “lowlifes,” thanked “the great Bobby Knight” for endorsing him and performed a derisive impression of a general he saw on television.
The presumptive Republican nominee took the occasion — the annual “Rolling Thunder” motorcycle rally, which raises awareness of unaccounted-for POWs and soldiers missing in action — to malign Hillary Clinton and tout his own electoral successes. …
Trump spoke at a stage set up at the end of the reflecting pool closest to the Lincoln Memorial to a relatively sedate crowd of hundreds of bikers and assorted tourists, who did not entirely fill the space between the pool and the memorial. The businessman said it was not the scene he expected to encounter.
“I thought this would be like Dr. Martin Luther King, where the people will be lined up from here all the way to the Washington Monument,” said Trump. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a quarter-million supporters in August 1963.
Trump knows no bounds of propriety! To turn a solemn occassion into a political event and then invoke MLK Jr . . . that is totally disgusting. Dump Trump in the trash heap of history!
MotherJones — Randy Sutton, a spokesman for Blue Lives Matter, a national law enforcement group, told CNN last week that "it's usually people committing crimes like robbery, or that are being pursued by police, that turn to shooting officers." That, notes Padilla-Goodman, is essentially a concession that people don't usually attack cops because they hate them: "Somebody committing a crime against somebody because they're black didn't mean that the black person had to do anything" to provoke it.
Only in Louisiana (or another red state) would legislators consider adding police officers and other first responders to a list of people, who if attacked, would constitute a hate crime. Interesting when a police officer counters that position.
Alternet — In an election year that's slated to produce the most unpopular candidates in history, there is one shining light—Senator Elizabeth Warren.
The Massachusetts senator/women's advocate/campaign finance reformer/human goddess has been dishing up truth bombs all year long. Utilizing social media with the skill of a millennial San Fransisco start-up owner, Warren slammed GOP candidates repeatedly for their asinine comments. …
"Two weeks ago, he said that he was more than happy to dodge taxes because he doesn't want to throw his money, quote, 'down the drain,'" she said. "Nurses and teachers and dockworkers, they pay their fair share to keep Trump's businesses going … Donald Trump thinks that supporting them is throwing money down the drain? Then I say we throw Donald Trump down the drain."
Go Lizzie! A national treasure is clobbering a national disgrace!
My Universe —
5 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 30/05/2016”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Politico: "Trump himself is not a veteran, having received multiple draft deferments during the Vietnam War — though he did recount his own political successes." Nuff said.!!
MJ: Interesting article. I am sure that my state w/look into this, if it hasn't already, and get on board with it too.
AN: All good comebacks, keep them coming, Ms. Warren, we need you!!
My Universe: I hope the kitties are okay, some took major jumps, only to fall. Mine's too lazy to muster all that energy to go from point A to B. She'll nap about it. LOL.
How sweet of you to brush your mother's hair, to relax her. I know that she loves you for all you do for her.
We are set to have rain every day for the next 5 days, and I'm helping my neighbor w/her house, as she was flooded. School buses for the last two days, have had to re-route, as many roads are upended, or completely gone. Red Cross is helping our flooded victims.
Enjoy your day, Thanks, Lynn.
Glad you could spend some very relax-inducing time w/ your Mom.
Personally, not sure I'd like to have my hair brushed for two hours. BUT I would like to have enough hair that it COULD be brushed for two hours. For me, 20 – 30 seconds … TOPS!
WRT "My Universe" – remember Len Berman and his "Spanning the World of Sports" (or something close to that)? Whenever he did one of those "Let's go to the tape" showing a disaster, he'd always end with "And no one was seriously injured." I hope the same came be said for the pooties!
I would call that a 12 hour day. Busy indeed.
AlterNet – You certainly put your finger on a problem which afflicts everone who wants to accomplish anything in politics – and therefore, also every voter. Is she being disingenuous, or has she changed position?
Of course, it's not ONLY politicians who get into these situations. Newly sober alcoholics who want instant trust (which MAY be deserved, but how does the family know?) Felons starting on probation or parole. Religious converts. Anyone who changes his or her mind on anything, fundamental or not.
I have a friend from LinkedIn – I guess they call them contacts – who came into one of my groups with a first post describing himself as a "reformed racist" and asking for help with ideas on how to atone. By professions he is a funeral director. We are still somewhat in touch, but he doesn't need much help any more. He does a lot of speaking engagements in schools and the like. But he did start out needing people, if not to believe in him, at least not vocally disbelieve in him.
Politico – There's a video available that anyone my age or so who has lived in the US a while will appreciate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XriXDtfqCg
MoJo – I will stand by my initial response to that legislation, which is that it resembles RFRAs. Both are attempts to claim "persecution" for the loss of the "right" to be bullies, and the requirement to be held accountable, which they would certainly apply to everyone else. But I fear it is not only in Louisiana.
AlterNet 2 – Warren has been referred to as "the Democratic Party's nuclear weapon," and these exchanges certainly show why. Bless her.
Universe – Oh, poor babies!
You're swamped!!
Do you know when those emails supporting fracking were written? Also, it's possible to support the export ofr fracking while opposing it here. For example, the US tries to prevent tobbaco use here, but supports it's export. I oppose exporting US problem products and technologies.
YUCK!! Amen!!
Blue lives matter? Nope!! Blue VOTES matter!!
More kudos to Lizzie!!
If I tried to jump with Goirge on (or without), I'd do that.
A busy bee as always, Lynn. And your weather is just as chaotic and extreme as it is half way around the world. People got injured or killed in Belgium, France and Germany by terrible thunderstorms in the weekend and the storms are continuing.
Alternet: Her efforts to export fracking – and success, darn it – is one of the reasons I don't particularly like her. But then again, Drumpf is a hundred times worse. Even so, Hillary is a political animal through and through, but I'm not convinced yet that a political animal can change its spots or just knows how to conceal them cleverly.
Alternet: How I wish more people who matter like Elizabeth Warren take on Drumpf, stand up to him and show what a disgusting megalomaniac he truly is. Keep it up Lizzy, you're doing important work here!
Politico: Aaaaahhhrrrrggg, he's going to continue this until the very last day before the elections, abusing every meeting, rally and commemoration to give his ego another boost and make "jokes"at some's expense where a solemn silence is asked for. I desperately need a break from this man and I'm not even an American progressive.
MoJo: Always very refreshing to see some signs that the police forces, even those in red states, aren't completely taken over by Republican bigots and racists, but that some individuals have managed to stand above that while remaining grounded in reality. Kudos to those good cops that have to carry the burden of the bad cops and their state's legislators.
My Universe: Some of these miscalculations looked quite endearing and funny, but some of them looked downright painful. Poor Putty Tats.