Today was a "me" day. After physio, I went out for lunch and read my book as I noshed on a turkey sandwich and a green salad. Then home to do the PP monthly report. Unfortunately, I am having some technical difficulties which I will try to rectify tomorrow. I ended up using a Lona cat nap which was refreshing.
Short Takes
Huffington Post — Retired neurosurgeon and bestselling author Ben Carson said in a statement Wednesday he does "not see a political path forward" for his campaign after his poor showing on Super Tuesday.
Carson announced he won't attend the Fox News GOP debate on Thursday in Detroit, and said he would further discuss his political plans at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Friday.
"not see a political path forward" sounds suspiciously like Carson is suspending his campaign, but when asked to clarify, he simply said "We'll see." I guess we will, just like we will see tomorrow at 11:30 am EST when Mitt Romney is scheduled to give a major speech on the 2016 presidential race. Will he enter the Republican fray?
Just in, the Associated Press obtained excerpts of Romney's speech. Read the CBC report.
Alternet — Valentino’s Ghost lays bare the truths behind taboo subjects that are conspicuously avoided, or merely treated as sound bites by the mainstream American media: “Why do they hate us?” “Why do we hate them?” What were the events that led to the 9/11 attacks? What are the politics behind the U.S.-Israeli relationship? Why is there a robust debate about these subjects in Europe, the Arab World and in Israel itself, but not in the United States?
At the end of the article is the full 100 minute documentary "Valentino’s Ghost" which I encourage everyone to watch. The articles title tells us much "Valentino's Ghost: Powerful Documentary Explores How US Foreign Policy in the Middle East Drives Islamophobia at Home" as experts "explain how the U.S. media and govt are the source of fear and loathing of Arabs, Muslims and Islam."
Raw Story — Former ABC News anchor Ted Koppel said on Wednesday that his Fox News counterpart Bill O’Reilly has undermined journalists’ ability to interview Donald Trump. …
You have changed the television landscape over the past 20 years — you took it from being objective and dull to subjective and entertaining. And in this current climate, it doesn’t matter what the interviewer asks him; Mr. Trump is gonna say whatever he wants to say, as outrageous as it may be.”
The real estate mogul’s audience, Koppel added, was not even a television audience, but one better suited for Twitter.
“They deal in messages of 140 characters or less, which keeps it nice and simple,” he explained.
Good on Ted Koppel for nailing O'Lielly!
Daily Beast — The intellectual leader of the tea party movement in the Senate is secretly holding up a bill to help the residents of Flint, Michigan, who have been poisoned by their own water supply. …
Lee [Republican, Utah] doesn’t like that the proposal is not being put through the ordinary and time-consuming gamut of Senate procedures known as ‘regular order’; has objections on how money from the stimulus is being repurposed for water infrastructure; and is concerned about the federal government getting involved in what he views as a local issue.
Lee, an intellectual? So this is how Republicans look after American citizens in crisis through no fault of their own. What a putz!
My Universe —
I'm in training! I must improve my time before the Olympic trials!
Whoa! Aliens! I'm outa here!
4 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 02/03/2016”
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HP: Carson: ''He made headlines for several outlandish statements throughout his campaign, having once called Obamacare the worst thing "since slavery" and blaming the Holocaust on gun control.'' Time will tell for Mr. Carson, if he drops out of the GOP race.
Surely, with the Repugs experience in 'snubbing' others, like they do President Obama, and the Dems, they can do this to Drumpf easily. They created this monster, they'll wring their hands, and blame it on something else..because it's not their fault !
Raw Story/MM: Good video.Kudos to Mr. Koppel for saying his piece, he's a seasoned and experienced reporter. O'Reilly seemed intimated by Ted. LOL.
DK: The citizens of Utah would do well to remember this horrible action and tactic of their Senator as his re-election is coming up this year, as the state ''requires $3.7 billion for drinking water infrastructure over the next 20 years to meet minimum requirements in human health and safety, according to an EPA report presented to Congress in 2013.'' What an ID!
My Universe: #1. My cat does this and loves to unravel the roll. #2. Scared kitty! I used to have an iguana, and she would lay on top of the shower curtain, and I'd run the shower for a bit. She loved it. She also had run of the house too, like these two do, which is great for them. Great pets, btw.
Naps are great, aren't they? You sound like you have a busy day ahead. Going in later to tutor, in prep for the state testing @the end of the month. Enjoy your day, and take care. Thanks, Lynn.
I miss actual journalism from the likes of Ted Koppel. He was also spoton when he called Herr Drumpf "the Recruiter-in-Chief for ISIS".
That kitten's reaction to the lizards is a Guaranteed-Chortle-Inducer!
HuffPo – They are dropping like flies. Down to four now. It will indeed be interesting to learn what Willard has to say.
AlterNet – Those who don't already know that Islamophobia was created by the U.S. government with lots of help from the anything-but-liberal media are not likely to watch this. Any in that category who might do so will do so with so much emotional resistance to fact it seems hardly worth it. People who have been convincingly lied to and learn the truth are not angry with the liar, but with the debunker. That is not rational, but it is human.
Raw Story – I would have called it a miracle that Koppel was allowed on The O'Reilly Factor to say it. (Incidentally, does anyone besides me find "The O'Reilly Factor" unbearable arrogant as the name of his sideshow?)
Daily Beast – Well, he may well be an intellectual giant among Republicans. Although it's equally likely that, with their perception of intellectuals as not practical, he got the reputation by being not practical (or pragmatic, to use their term).
New Topic – News from the SOA Watch that you probably will not see or hear anywhere else.
Universe – I do wish I had their energy. Either one of them.
I signed a petition that we link our aid to them doing an independent investigation into her death today