I expect Wendy to arrive shortly to degrease the foul TomCat and help with some light housekeeping. Then I have to make a run to the bank, so this is my only article today.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:09 (average 5:38). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: An expert on Russia and an intelligence expert expressed the sad reality of how Russia and Vladimir Putin are playing Donald Trump for a fool. Vladimir Putin has been playing Donald Trump for some time and as explained by these two experts, the folks in Russia know it and are laughing at America.
The host asked Professor of International Affairs at The New School Nina Khrushcheva in this excerpted video if Trump was playing into Putin’s hands. The responses from both the professor and the intelligence expert were probative.
"He’s been playing into Putin’s hands for over a year now," replied Professor Khrushcheva. "So it is not more than he has done already."
The host said that many people have the picture of Putin sitting back and just saying ‘Oh yes.’
"And you know what," Khrushcheva continued. "This is such a correct picture. … Because I was just in Moscow and the Russians are saying, ‘Look at those fools. Look at their democracy. Absolutely, how can America lecture us on any development institutions, human rights, democracy rhetoric when they just elected Donald Trump. He is such a fool. He is such a bully. That is what America deserves. And we are going to take advantage of it.’ And that’s how Russians feel about it. And now it’s taking shape with letters from Vladimir Putin to Donald Trump with their exchange of potential nuclear armament and what not. So I think this is going to be a very interesting world to unfold in the next four years."… [emphasis added]
The Tangerine Traitor a Russian Rectum Reich!! Resist!!
From NY Times: …This downtown [Philadelphia] church [Arch Street United Methodist Church] is one of 450 houses of worship in the United States that have offered to provide sanctuary or other assistance to undocumented immigrants, according to leaders of the Sanctuary Movement. (Few congregations have the space and fortitude to risk harboring immigrants indefinitely, so others are lining up to contribute money, legal aid, food, child care or transportation.) The congregations joining this network have more than doubled since the election of Donald J. Trump — a rapid rebuttal to Mr. Trump’s postelection promise to deport two million to three million unauthorized immigrants who he said have been convicted of crimes.
Protecting immigrants is shaping up to be a priority of the religious left, an amorphous collection of people and groups reflecting many faiths and ethnicities. It has been jolted into action by Mr. Trump’s victory and his selection of an attorney general nominee who supports a crackdown on immigrants.
Kudos to the Religious Left. Here we see the difference between authentic Christians and Republican Rectum Reich pseudo-Christians, whose actions are the exact opposite of what Jesus taught. Resist!!
From The Rachel Maddow Show: Trump can launch a nuclear weapon within four minutes
Ploughshares Fund President Joe Cirincione talks with Ari Melber about widespread fear of Trump’s imminent takeover of "the most capable death machine on the planet" — America’s nuclear arsenal.
God help us! Resist!!
Cartoon:
Contrary to Republican lies, this was NOT handed down from the founding fathers.
11 Responses to “Open Thread – 12/28/2016”
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5:25 Appropriate; we probably all feel like we're being taken out to the woodshed.
I got an email from ACLU this morning and the awful thought crossed my mind that, when they try something that is clearly unconstitutional and we take them to court, they win even if they lose, because they have successfully diverted our resources into fighting them in court, and we aren't able to use those resources for fighting them in the legislatures. Not that we shouldn't be in court – we absolutely should. But it is draining. And I'm sure they know it.
DKos – Hey Russia – SOME Americans deserve Trump. Almost three million more voted against him. We don't deserve him but we are stuck with him. The Russian people, the majority of you, probably don't deserve Putin either. But you are stuck with him too. Sucks, doesn't it?
NYTimes – There are so many people on the Christian left blogging, too – and probably on the Jewish left, the Muslim left, the Buddhist left, the Baha'i left, and more than I can think of. Of course it will come as no surprise to anyone who is familiar with the "religious right" that the good blogs are getting badly trolled. But if anyone wants to look into them and can either skip the comments or stand the trolling, a few are Sojourners, Formerly Fundie, Things That Need to Be Said, Warren Throckmorton. (I was on Things That Need to Be Said this morning reading a take-off of How the Grinch Stole Christmas called How the Trump Stole America. From Dec. 5th.)
TRMS – "The Cold War is over, thankfully"? I think I would have said "The Cold War is over – sort of." And Hmmmm. "… and outlast them all." You know, that's exactly what Khrushchev said and got such flack for (because instead of "outlast" the translator said "bury.") Worth revisiting: http://www.metrolyrics.com/whos-next-lyrics-tom-lehrer.html
Cartoon – Not only not from the Founding Fathers, but written by a Socialist – WITHOUT the phrase "Under God"!
RESIST !!!
DK: China and Russia are rubbing their hands with glee who "will take our market share from international markets out there. And the United States will be relegated to a third class country.” AND….that's not including the buildup of nuclear armament! Why isn't DT being tried for a traitor? The word 'Fool' doesn't come to my mind when I think of DT. He comes in with no experience, nor composure, nor is he a Statesman, experienced in foreign relations, to be our President. I feel he's a ##&&**# IDiot!!! imho.
NYT: Awww….this is wonderful that these Churches are coming together to help others. Kudos to them!
"We Pledge To Resist Deportation And Discrimination Through Sanctuary" petition:
https://action.groundswell-mvmt.org/petitions/we-pledge-to-resist-deportation-and-discrimination-through-sanctuary
RMS: Arm's Race??? W.T.H.???? Woe to us all!! Very, very scary.
Petition: "Keep Trump's Finger Off The Button: Take Nuclear Missiles Off Hair-Trigger Alert"
https://www.change.org/p/president-obama-keep-trump-s-finger-off-the-button-nucleartrump
Cartoon: Does DT even embrace the words of our Allegiance? Nope. ;-(
Hope that your trip to the bank was uneventful, and all went well. Hope that you have a great relaxing evening. Take care, and Thanks, Tom.
Signed both, thanks.
Been there. Signed those. Thanks!!
Happy sanitizing, TomCat. Hope your run to the bank worked out for you. George didn't protest too much, I hope 😀
DK: The better half of Americans must know by now the whole world is laughing at them. Some laugh like a farmer with a toothache, others with glee, and most bleakly, still in shock. Russian laughs are the ROTFLMAO kind, they've got the upper hand now, and the rest of the world – especially the Middle East – just cringes. In Syria most cry or are too shell-shocked to react. I really think Putin would not have had the guts to bomb Aleppo and Mossul the way he did, striking hospitals and killing so many civilians, if he didn't have Drumpf and his hoodlums in his pockets. The last who made it out of there safely reported that Russian bombers were in the air 24/7.
NYT: Kudos to them. It shows that there are still some real Christians left, i.e. the ones that have actually read and appreciated the teachings of the New Testament. And as Joanne said, there are numerous other religious and non-religious organizations, and whole states like California, that recognize the threat Drumpf poses to illegal immigrants and work to oppose it and give shelter. I still haven't seen any official numbers yet, but 2-3 million illegal immigrants who have criminal records…that is such BS, just a ruse to go after all in the group of immigrants he has targeted: anyone from the Mexican border to the southern tip of Chile. His advisors may have told him that there are few if any illegal Muslim immigrants, so he deals with them through registers. And the thousands of Irish without a green card (this I heard on the BBC) can rest easy for a while. They help to swell the white population…
TRMS: I can't watch her, but the text is frightening enough. Over here (Oz) people are getting nervous about Japan looking into it's constitution to change it so thet they can defend themselves against Chinese aggression, because Drumpf has announced America won't do it. So Japan is thinking of building its own nuclear arsenal. And Putin and Drumpf want more of the stuff that can be launched in 4 minutes? Even if you gave 24 hours to think about pushing the button, he'd still take the wrong decision. And what foo is Drumpf going to nuke if Japan has to fend for itself? WWII nearly devastated this planet, it may be devastated by Drumpf even before it comes down to WW III.
RESIST!
If – IF – there are 2 million immigrants who have criminal records, it is because a million and a half of them, at least, were targeted by skin color and had to take plea deals on trumped up charges. AT LEAST.
Actually, he did.
Daily Kos: I shared this one with my red friends. We are apparently the laughing stock of the world after electing TRump. Those of us who did not vote for him should not be punished with the rest.
The NY Times: I am grateful to the Sanctuary Movement, it gives me faith that churches still act as followers of Christ, and not big business. The television preachers who live in mansions and keep asking for donations are probably in agreement with Trump.
The Rachel Maddow Show: That is the most terrifying part of his election, that he will have the power to do this, and we all know he will if he feels slighted.
Cartoon: You cannot tell the uneducated anything, they all ready know all about it because, "god told me".
Puzzle — 4:12 A stack of Puddy Tat toothpicks? The dental floss is in the wood pile attached to the backend of a mouse. When I was a child, there was always a stack of logs about one half hour outside rityof the Muskoka, Ontario town where my grandfather maintained a summer home. The first one to see it and call out "toothpicks" got to decide whether we stopped for ice cream or went straight to the cottage and jumped into the lake. The lake usually won!
Daily Kos — I have read a number of articles about the Russian cultivation of Trump as an asset. David Corn has an article in Mother Jones commenting that it has been several years. Another article, possibly on MSN.com, mentioned a five year cultivation of Trump as a Russian asset. Assuming these are true accounts, and David Corn is a respected journalist, Trump has been played, his narcissism is no doubt the key. He is now a threat to national security. No doubt the Russians, and others, are laughing themselves silly knowing that Trump is on their fishing line.
RESIST!!!!!
NY Times — It is good to see churches involved in the sanctuary movement. As I recall, some cities and university campuses are declaring themselves sanctuaries as well, but also someone, I believe it was Trump, said that these sanctuaries are illegal and would not be respected. Sanctuary is a centuries old movement and must be respected. Of course the pseudo Christians would have nothing to do with sanctuaries.
TRMS — Many have said all along that Trump and the football go together like oil and water. This thin skinned narcissist-in-chief should not have this kind of power. Perhaps the North Carolina legislature could take it away, after all, they are taking things away from their new governor. This truly is scary beyond words.
RESIST!!!!!
Cartoon — I question the validity of the pledge — indivisible??, liberty and justice for all?? It says "under God" not "under the Christian God". Seems it has a way to go to be valid.
RESIST!!!!!
Simple.
RESIST!
Thanks Hugs and Amen!!
Archie Bunker, as long as you obey the rules, you may comment here with Rewpublican views, but you may not do so with a bogus email address.