Hopefully, last night was the last muggy night for a while, and I can catch up on some sleep. It’s a strange weekend. WWWendy has student report day at the school, where she works, until late Wednesday evening, so we need to move my shower night to Tuesday next week. To keep my showers from being two and five days apart, we’re also moving shower day to Saturday this and next weekends. So I get destunk early, with no destinking on slow Sunday.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:51 (average 5:55). To do it, click here. Hoe did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube (NY Times Channel): President Trump’s Best People
Barf Bag Alert!!
All Trump’s sycophants are either criminals, or, if any are actually are any non-criminals, incompetent. RESIST!!
From YouTube: Lawmakers’ late-night showdown ends with bipartisan budget deal
The Fuhrer has signed it, so it’s a done deal. The problem with having no power, is that we need to do as much good as we can for the most people that we can, whenever we get a rare opportunity to do so, and millions will benefit from the Republican concessions. DREAMers’ status is on hold, because of a court ruling. I hope we can do some good for them. As for all the military spending that we don’t like, we need to take power to change it. RESIST!!
From NY Times: On Wednesday, we learned that during a 2017 background check for the former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, his two ex-wives both told the F.B.I. that he had abused them. His first wife, Colbie Holderness, gave the F.B.I. a photo of her with a black eye, a result, she said, of Porter punching her in the face during a vacation in 2005. Porter’s second wife, Jennifer Willoughby, shared a 2010 emergency protective order she’d received after he punched in the glass on her door while they were separated.
The White House chief of staff John Kelly reportedly knew about these allegations, which are said to be the reason the F.B.I. never gave Porter a full security clearance, ordinarily a prerequisite for his job. Nevertheless, Porter’s past was apparently not considered a problem inside the White House until it became public. This tells us quite a bit about how seriously this administration takes violence against women.
Even after The Daily Mail broke the story, Kelly reportedly urged Porter not to resign, though he did anyway. In the White House briefing room Wednesday, President Trump’s press secretary Sarah Sanders read a statement from Porter calling his ex-wives’ accounts “simply false” and part of a “coordinated smear campaign.” In what was perhaps a rare outbreak of candor by omission, she didn’t bother with a pro forma statement that the White House condemns domestic violence.
Even if you put aside questions of morality — which most people working for Donald Trump have already done — a staff secretary who can’t qualify for a security clearance because of his personal life is a serious security risk. Among other things, such a person could be subject to blackmail.
What people fail to realize is that, in the Republican Reich, a background like Porter’s is not a liability. It’s a prerequisite. RESIST!!
Cartoon:
It’s time for more Olympic Gay Gloves. Vice Fuhrer Pence has already trashed gay US skater Adam Rippon.
19 Responses to “Open Thread – 2/9/2018”
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4:57 Looks like it’s right at home with zebras 😉
Sheesh – nothing like schedule changes!
New (copyrighted) cartoon
OK, this is depressing, but important.
NYT – Well of course. He wouldn’t know competence if it came to the door and showed ID (in fact, he likely wouldn’t be able to read the ID). Actually, counter-intuitively, I find the sheer number of firings a bit encouraging. It could be worse if they had all stayed!
The Deal – Well, YOU understand that there are things one cannot do if not in power. I truly wish more people understood that. I’m getting irritated by those who don’t.
NYT – People also fail to realize how many staffers in the White House have at best a temporary security clearance – many have NO clearance at all. (Cue “But her emails!” in 3… 2… 1…)
Cartoon – Yup!
The last I heard there were at least 39 unsecured Nazis there.
A government of criminals and incompetents cannot last. Sooner or later it will come apart at the seams. RESIST, PERSIST, and above all, VOTE PROGRESSIVE! Don’t support just any old Democrat – look for the ones who are genuine Progressives.
How will future generations view this insane era? As the nadir from which the USA bounced back, or as the beginning of the end?
Thanks for the cartoon, Joanne – Luckovich is nearly always brilliant and incisive. As for “light privileges,” I have done my wee part by signing petitions, contacting my legislators, and making donations to reputable charities.
I agree with you, with the caveat that when just any old Democrats are the only one on the ballot, supporting them is far better than handing the seats to Republicans.
I think she meant in primaries.
BBA: I can only imagine the frenzy in the WH, what a crappy environment to work in. Shame he can’t fire himself !!!
YT: I sure hope Dreamers & Immigration passes! Lets get it done!!
NYT: I possess a deep loathing of people who abuse people/animals. Having experienced physical & emotional abuse from my first husband, I can relate to these women who were married to this horrible man. The WH is full of people that do this on a daily basis, starting from the top on down. Sadly, they embrace those traits.
Cartoon: YAY!! to our GAYS!!!
Hope that your evening is relaxing, take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
This just in: NOT GOOD!! news!
No. 3 Official at the Justice Department Is Stepping DownBy KATIE BENNERFEB. 9, 2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/us/politics/rachel-brand-justice-department.html
She didn’t want to be fired. Personally I think getting fired by the Trump regime is a badge of honor. But everyone has to make their own decisions. You’re right, ii’s not good at all.
See my explanation in today’s Open Thread, please.
YT/NYT: He needs firing! Virtually nought but Bulls**t has come from his mouth, but the fools believe his vague crap about having the best people, the best words; infantile hogwash made him president!
Lawmakers’ Shutdown: More nonsense from the House of Paul! If you want to help keep still more fools from becoming lawmakers, please sign this petition regarding forts to impeach judges, in Pennsylvania, so that the GOPIGS can keep their gerrymandering in place:
http://petitions.moveon.org/ sign/stop-pennsylvania-gops? source=s.icn.em.mt&r_by= 8611088
NYT: Abuse seems to be a prerequisite for being part of the Trumphole White House; ignored when not convenient!
‘Toon: I am going to be rooting soooooooo hard for the non-straights to win gold!
Signed this morning, and planning to sic the Furies onto it.
NYT: That video stopped being interesting after Drumpf oracled: “We are being run by incompetent people; people that don’t know what they’re dong.”
NYT: I’m getting very weary of this. The morality of Drumpf and all his minions, new or old, is visibly rotten to the core in spirit and action and has kept the media busy since his campaign last year, but nothing changes. The only way to change it if people bother to vote and are allowed to vote. And as Freya so accurately points out: “Don’t support just any old Democrat – look for the ones who are genuine Progressives.”
Sorry but I won’t be commenting for a day or two. I fell last night at home and stopped the fall with my face, specifically with my nose. It is too painful to wear my glasses which I need for reading and writing. I am just about at my limit now. I spent 4 hours in emergency getting home about 0130 hours My nose is not broken but likely cracked and definitely swollen, especially on the left side. I have a headache but fortubately did not pass out. Things should be OK in a day or 2.
Oh noes! (Been there, done that, no fun – except with me it was my front teeth rather than my nose.) Not being able to wear glasses = not being able to get any information = poor thing, you must feel like a Republican. Feel better FAST. {{{{{{{{{{ Squatch }}}}}}}}}}
A Republican??? There’s no need to get nasty! Besides, you know Republicans don’t feel . . . well except for little pussy types.
Oh, they whine like nobody’s business over a physical injury! But I certainly wasn’t trying to be nasty! Just to describe how badly you must hurt – plus not being able to take in any truth because of not being able to see. (And, NOT being a republican, you won’t whine.)
Poor Squatch! I’m so sorry, Lynn! You take whatever time you need to heal up. Hugs and prayers!
Thanks all. Hugs!