Open Thread – 8/8/2016

Posted by TomCat at 1:08 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 082016

Even though it’s been cooler since yesterday, the building’s brick face continues to radiate heat inward, but I did nap for a couple hours this morning and hope to do so again this afternoon.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:28 (average 7:12). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From KP Daily Funnies: John Oliver on Journalism

Although John is quite funny, he does make a good point. Since 2013, when the corporate oligopoly that had bought the paper gutted it, the Oregonian has gone downhill. For Oregon journalism, I now prefer Willamette Week.

From Willamette Week: Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump will make a fundraising stop in Portland at the end of August, The Washington Post reports.

The Post, citing sources near the Trump campaign, says Trump will make a west-coast swing on Aug. 29-31, with visits to San Francisco, Seattle and Portland.

Trump’s Oregon Campaign Manager Jacob Daniels confirms to WW that Trump will make stops here, but declined to confirm the exact dates.

AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

It will take weeks to wash away his slime! Sick smile

From Daily Kos: Trump’s big line is he should be president because he is a successful businessman. After reading this devastating Newsweek story, no Trump apologist can ever say that again.

The story goes through the bankruptcies of course, but there are defaults, people ripped off, and lie upon lie upon lie upon lie.

My favorite stuff from the article:

Trump lied to Congress.
Trump was publicly insulting Native Americans while other real business people were making deals to help manage their casinos.
Trump signed a deal with one Native American casino, and they paid him $6 million to go away.
Trump punched his second grade teacher
Trump lied in his books, then blamed the same woman he blamed for Melania Trump’s plagiarized speech.
Trump lied in a filing with a bank where he was trying to get a loan about how much he was worth.
Trump lied about how much money he got from his dad.
Trump’s dad gave him illegal loans by taking cash to his casino, turning it over at a craps table, loading up a suitcase with $5,000 chips, and leaving.
Trump’s earliest deals all lost money and he only did well when his dad guaranteed loans.
Trump spent $1 million per plane to turn a shuttle into a luxury trip that no one wanted to take. The planes were only worth $4 million each.

He really is a perfect match for Republican Reich Rectumites.

Cartoon:

0808Cartoon

Win a Progressive Senate

Posted by TomCat at 1:22 pm Politics

Aug 072016

The left is split between a majority that makes defeating Trump their priority, and a small, but vocal minority that makes defeating Clinton their priority, in the mistaken belief that a third party candidate can win. Although I am a pragmatist, rather than an idealist, I agree with my more idealistic friends on almost every issue. Here’s an excerpt from an editorial that points out an area where we can work together.

0807LizJeff

…The frightening, violent bigotry Trump has conjured could swallow a lot of people before it consumes itself. Even if he loses, angry Trumpistas would still roam freely, with access to automatic weapons and heavy machinery.

I’m more excited about protesting President Clinton La Segunda than being governed by her. Under George W. Bush, were there any national progressive policy victories? The mass movements of the Bush years sought to stop bad things like the Iraq War and the Sensenbrenner immigration bill. Mass movements of the Barack Obama years — Occupy, Black Lives Matter, climate change, dreamers — had the luxury to advocate systemic change and did indeed win some policy. That’s not lesser, it’s not evil at all.

First-term Obama and Clinton El Primero enthusiastically marginalized progressives. They wanted to be pushed to the right but not the left. Progressives fell for it and demobilized. Let’s not do that this time.

I’m not loyal to Democrats, but I’d be a lot more impressed by the Green Party if they had anything at all to show for the last 16 years — the last time we had the exact same conversation.

Berners who want to keep pushing Bernie Sanders’ agenda can focus on down-ticket races, especially the Senate. The Senate has the sole power to confirm appointments and approve treaties. This would be enough to, for example, stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership, ratify a major climate change treaty, showcase progressive policies in cabinet confirmation hearings and confirm judges. Sanders Democrats and progressive independents could successfully elect and hold senators to these goals, if we got our act together, which we probably won’t.

The Democrats need to net at least four extra seats to flip the Senate, which is more attainable than 30 seats to win Congress. Republicans have 24 Senate seats up, and Democrats only 10. States with competitive Senate races are also swing states for the presidential races, so using Trump to drag Republican senators down is a twofer.

The closest Senate races are in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The only current Democratic seat that looks vulnerable is the race to replace the retiring boringest [sic] Senator from Nevada: Harry Reid. On the upside, there’s the chance to topple John McCain and Marco Rubio, which would be so fun. Five of the Democratic candidates invited Bernie to campaign with them because they, for example, share his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership… [emphasis added]

From <San Francisco Chronicle>

Every election, I find myself repeating myself. We need to be building the movement the day after the election, but it seems that every year, most progressives return to working on favorite issues and expend no effort on movement building. Can you imagine where we might be, if Bernie had started to organize in May of 2013 instead of May of 2015?

For now, the next President will be Clinton or Trump. That won’t change. But at least we can agree to elect as many down ballot progressives as we can, and when we are better organized, the White House will not be out of reach.

Open Thread – 8/7/2016

Posted by TomCat at 1:21 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 072016

I’m running late, as Wendy just left. She left both the TomCat and the Cat Box bright and shiny. We feasted on Baby Back Ribs! I’m very tired as the hot sticky weather kept me up last night, but we have three days of cool weather before the heat returns.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:12 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Alternet: In an effort to bolster his policy platform, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced Friday a new 15-member economic advisory council that does not include a single woman.

Rump Dump measures women’s intellect in bra size, not IQ.

From Crooks and Liars: A somewhat important question that Julian Assange manages to completely dodge.

If Assange had ducked discussing his complicity with Putin and Trump any harder, he would have quacked.

From Raw Story: North Korea has accused Washington of planning a pre-emptive nuclear strike, after the US announced it would deploy its B-1 bomber in the Pacific for the first time in a decade.

That’s insane even for North Korea. Is there a new leader there named Kim Jong-Trump?

Cartoon:

0807Cartoon

Career Spook Fears Trump

Posted by TomCat at 12:19 pm Politics

Aug 062016

Michel J. Morell used to run the CIA, where he worked for over thirty years, From what I know of him, he’s so far right, that I would do not agree with most of his views, but on this subject, he is in a better position to know than almost anyone else, and I think his points about Trump are completely valid.

During a 33-year career at the Central Intelligence Agency, I served presidents of both parties — three Republicans and three Democrats. I was at President George W. Bush’s side when we were attacked on Sept. 11; as deputy director of the agency, I was with President Obama when we killed Osama bin Laden in 2011.

I am neither a registered Democrat nor a registered Republican. In my 40 years of voting, I have pulled the lever for candidates of both parties. As a government official, I have always been silent about my preference for president.

No longer. On Nov. 8, I will vote for Hillary Clinton. Between now and then, I will do everything I can to ensure that she is elected as our 45th president.

Two strongly held beliefs have brought me to this decision. First, Mrs. Clinton is highly qualified to be commander in chief. I trust she will deliver on the most important duty of a president — keeping our nation safe. Second, Donald J. Trump is not only unqualified for the job, but he may well pose a threat to our national security…

…The dangers that flow from Mr. Trump’s character are not just risks that would emerge if he became president. It is already damaging our national security.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was a career intelligence officer, trained to identify vulnerabilities in an individual and to exploit them. That is exactly what he did early in the primaries. Mr. Putin played upon Mr. Trump’s vulnerabilities by complimenting him. He responded just as Mr. Putin had calculated.

Mr. Putin is a great leader, Mr. Trump says, ignoring that he has killed and jailed journalists and political opponents, has invaded two of his neighbors and is driving his economy to ruin. Mr. Trump has also taken policy positions consistent with Russian, not American, interests — endorsing Russian espionage against the United States, supporting Russia’s annexation of Crimea and giving a green light to a possible Russian invasion of the Baltic States.

In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation… [emphasis added]

From <NY Times>

Photo Credit: Who Hijacked Our Country

Sadly, Putin is also using another US politician to help him put Trump in the White House. RT News (formerly Russia Today) is under Putin’s complete control, and has focused their coverage for several days on attacking Clinton, while giving positive coverage to Jill Stein, including many interviews. As much as a like Jill, I can’t see how she could be accepting this help from a Russian propaganda outlet, without knowing she’s working with Putin. Perhaps her opportunism ha Rump Dump Trumped her idealism.

Open Thread – 8/6/2016

Posted by TomCat at 12:19 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 062016

I’m feeling a bit groggy, because after sleeping yesterday afternoon, I had a light supper and slept all evening and night. That must have come from down under. I hope Lona catches up to her nap soon. I have the Olympics on in the background. Fiji just beat the US in Women’s Rugby. I may actually get to watch them a bit later this afternoon.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:13 (average 5:06). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Fantasy Football Update:

Players, don’t forget that our draft is two weeks from today: 8/20 at 4:00 PM EDT(3:00 CDT, 2:00 MDT, 1:00 PDT).

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Media Matters Channel): As Trump Disrespects Troops And Their Families, Where’s Fox?

Barf Bag Alert!!

The Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, is solidly behind Rump Dump.

From YouTube (Real Time with Bill Maher Channel): New Rule – Priority Fail (HBO)

Not only is he funny as hell, he’s also spit on. Sadly for the lefties that put their hatred for Clinton above all but else, boutique issues are everything, and Armageddon is off the table.

From Daily Kos: Bernie Sanders wrote an OpEd [sic] for the Los Angeles Times, published today. He lays out why he strongly supports Hillary and asks anyone who voted for him to join him in supporting Hillary.

Click through to read Bernie’s own words. Thanks’ again, Bernie.

Cartoon:

0806Cartoon

Everyday Erinyes

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:22 am Politics

Aug 062016

I have a few items today which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. These roughly translate as "unceasing," "grudging," and "vengeful destruction."

I try not to feature occurrences that are too new (like, say, yesterday) or which have received a lot of publicity – there are plenty out there under the radar more in need of the Furies' attention. In this first item, the fact of it being under the radar actually IS the story.

On Friday, July 22, Germany was rocked by news of a terrible event – a young man shot multiple people outside a shopping center in Munich. It became clear that the shooter, Ali David Sonboly, had Iranian ancestry; no one in the media hesitated to link him with Islam. He was styled as "German-Iranian," and rumors spread that he had shouted "Allahu Akbat" before shooting (spoiler: he didn't.) Right-wing politicians did their best to use the shooting to spread hatred and fear against Muslims, migrants, and refugees.

But once the dust cleared, the inident changed into a "classic shooting rampage" instead of an "act of terror," and quietly disappeared from news feeds. Why? He was not a Muslim, but a right wing extremist. It wasn't the West he hated, but Turks and Arabs. His hero was Anders Breivik who, five years to the day earlier, had killed 77 people in Norway. His other hero was Hitler, with whom he considered it "an honor" to share a birthday. Seven of his nine victims were Muslims or of Muslim background.

Sonboly's racist ideology was spawned in Central Asia, all right, but it was anything but Muslim. Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan all consider themselves to be the cradle of the Aryan people (who lived 3,000-4,000 years ago and scientifically have little to do with the historical, or maybe I should say pre-historical Aryans.) "Iran" actually means "land of the Aryans," and when Iran changed its name from Persia in 1935, both Afghanstan and Tajikistan responded with variations on "Who do you think you are?!!?"

German authorities mostly do not hesitate to link every rampage with Islam, but when right-wing terrorism takes place, they do their best to obscure the roots of the crime. This week, Bavaria's Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, insisted that Sonboly “probably had no links with right-wing networks.” And shortly after the massacre, Bavarian government and police officials claimed that there was no political motivation behind the massacre, claiming Sonboly had chosen his victims at random. According to this logic, a mass killer must shout “Allahu Akbar” in the midst of his murder spree for his political motives to be acknowledged. Everything else, no matter how clearly influenced by rightist ideology, is just a classic shooting rampage.

As long as right wing terrorism continues to be trivialized as isolated "rampages," and not treated as terrorism from the right, we in the west will make no progress toward suppressing terrorism at all. Germany is by no means alone in this; it happens in the United States constantly. Another case of decisions made on "facts" insteat of on facts are mostly very poor decisions. Well, Bavaria is quite beautiful, Tisiphone. Stop in to look at Neuschwanstein while you are educating Bavarian government officials.

I also have a couple of incidents related to rape culture, possibly appropriate in a week when a Presidential candidate and his number one son have said or implied that "strong women" do not get sexually harassed. Yeah, right.

The situation in this story from Utah (but which could have happened anywhere) seems to me to illustrate just how extensively complaints of rape are routinely dismissed. "In the most recent account, four women who reported that they had been raped by the same man were ignored by the Utah State University’s Title IX office, and by the police detectives investigating the complaints in Logan, Utah."

Had not reporter Alex Stuckey of the Salt Lake Tribune dug into this, no one but the victims (and the rapist) would even know the rapes had occurred.

Reporter Alex Stuckey of the Salt Lake Tribune conducted an in-depth investigation of a pattern of alleged rapes committed by an unnamed assailant. The first assault was reported in January of 2015; the fourth in December. The male student continued remained on campus until spring of 2016, when he graduated.

The four women did not know one another, and they all filed separate reports. Three of the women were Utah State students and reported the assaults to their school. Title IX, the federal statute passed in 1972 that mandates equal treatment of the sexes in education, requires that “schools must take action if there is a potential continuing threat to students.”

In stories that echo the disturbing details recounted in Jon Krakauer’s book, Missoula, which documented a spate of rapes in the Montana college town, police seemed more interested in helping preserve the reputation of the alleged rapist than in helping the women prosecute the man who had hurt them.

Click through for additional details of the attacks and the sham "investigations" conducted, if you haven't been nauseated enough by the brief summary I quote. The prosecutor claims to be looking at the case more closely. Alecto, maybe you can hold her feet to the fire.

Just in case anyone thinks the above story doesn't address sexual crime against strong women, this third story should lay all doubt to rest on that point. It's had more exposure than the other two, as far as I can find (and I'm already late), so I'll be brief.

A prominent feminist writer and columnist said she is being forced to abandon social media after receiving rape and death threats against her 5-year-old daughter.

On Twitter, Jessica Valenti wrote: “This morning I woke up to a rape and death threat directed at my 5 year old daughter. That this is part of my work life is unacceptable.”

You know, after you've said that, what do you say? Jessica goes on with several more tweets elaborating on the facts of this situation, and what an impossible position it puts her in. I expect anyone here could have come up with every point. Unacceptable? Yes. Of course. But Facebook, Twitter, and law enforcement all seem to accept it just fine. Megaera, everyone else already has an assignment. But you are going to need reinforcements.

The Furies and I will be back.

Cross posted to Care2 at http://www.care2.com/news/member/101612212/4003531

Open Thread – 8/5/2016

Posted by TomCat at 2:04 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 052016

Pardon my brevity, but I have to go see my Physical Terrorist, Courtney the Inquisitor. I’ve been doing her exercises, but one set of them gives me cramps in stumpy, which abate in a couple minutes but are quite painful. This is today’s only article, but I am squeezing in an extra Short Take.

I’m back. I went on the big bus and negotiated the same crosswalk at which I injured myself two weeks ago due to poor vision. Knowing that the problem is there makes all the difference and I’m developing a strategy to assume such dangers wherever I go, so I’m prepared when one actually exists.

When I saw JD’s Mug Shot (to be posted soon) I mentioned how my back would appreciate her claws. In today’s mail, I received back scratchers from JD!! Thanks Joanne!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:46 (average 6:44). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From KP Daily Funnies: Funny or Die: Donald Trump: POW

Barf Bag Alert!!

Donald Trump: POW from Funny Or Die

Since his election would not be funny, he would give is the other alternative: die.

From Exposed by CMD: CMD has launched a petition, calling on AARP to stop funding ALEC. You can sign the petition here.

AARP, the non-profit seniors organization that exists to promote the financial security, pensions and healthcare of those over 50, is secretly funding the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an organization whose bills have acted against the interests of ordinary Americans, including retirees and their families.

The Center for Media and Democracy has learned that AARP has recently joined ALEC, and that it is a named sponsor of the ALEC annual meeting taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana from July 27-29, 2016.

AARP isn’t exactly hiding its new financial relationship with ALEC, at least to ALEC legislators. Its logo appears in the conference brochure (see below) and attendees at the conference were each provided with an AARP branded portable USB power pack as they registered for the event.

ALEC exists to help its corporate funders advance their lobbying agenda through pushing bills that ALEC peddles as national “model” legislation. As CMD has documented in numerous ways, ALEC is a pay-to-play operation.

Since CMD launched ALECexposed in 2011, more than 100 corporations have quit the group, with many echoing Eric Schmidt of Google who told NPR as his company quit ALEC: “I think the consensus within the company was that that was some sort of mistake and so we’re trying to not do that in the future.”

I quit AARP years ago, because I soon realized that the only service they were providing me was giving me the privilege to be SPAMMED relentlessly using email, phone and snail mail by their many "partners". In my opinion AARP is a fraud. (After I wrote this, I received an email that AARP had stropped funding ALEC. I trust it was only because they were embarrassed at getting caught red handed.) My opinion is unchanged.

From Daily Kos: If there was any evidence Donald Trump was capable of thinking beyond the next moment, it would be easy to suspect that 90 percent of what’s bubbled from his lips over the last three days is a diversion. Attacking the Khans. Hints that he won’t accept the results of the election. Complaints that the polls are fishy. Saying that women should run away from sexual harassment. Even kicking a baby out of a rally. All of it.

Because as bad as all this is, if it serves to fend off media attention from the thing Trump’s campaign has suddenly gone quiet about, it could be worth it. Because the thing they’re not talking about is Russia.

While Donald Trump may now claim that his request for Russia to interfere in the election was just an example of sarcasm, it certainly didn’t seem that way to those listening on that day. And even if you wave that away—including the calls for a Senate hearing on the topic—other aspects of this story simply can’t be passed off as a joke.

In particular this is one place where both Donald Trump and campaign manager Paul Manafort are deliberately, publicly, and obviously lying. And that should be setting off major alarms.

That’s why this is the this is the third time I’ve covered it. Rump Dump and Manafart would deliver our security to Putin (R-RU).

From The New Yorker: A humanitarian crisis has been unfolding over the past week as Republican refugees seeking asylum have overrun the Democratic National Committee headquarters, in Washington, D.C.

D.N.C. staffers have confirmed that they were woefully unprepared for the masses of desperate Republicans who have shown up at the D.N.C.’s door, looking for safe harbor.

“These people have been brutalized for months and have decided to risk everything to save themselves and their families,” D.N.C. staffer Tracy Klugian said. “When they tell you their stories, they are absolutely heartbreaking.”

Andy, you blew it this time. The place for former Republicans seeking freedom is with rank-and-file Democrats, not the DNC DINOs.

Cartoon:

Friday Fun – Behind the Scenes Tour of DNC Convention

Posted by SoINeedAName at 8:04 am Politics

Aug 052016

WARNING: It’s “Yuuuge!”

This one is for us hardcore political junkies who enjoy the nuts and bolts on getting things done at Conventions. And fortunately two of the Owners/Administrators – David Allen (Skinner) and David Allsopp (EarlG) at the blog DemocraticUnderground.com scored Press Passes to the DNC Convention! What a thrill!

They posted a daily gallery of their adventure, and what it’s actually like being in Philadelphia documented with LOTS of photos. [Links will be provided at the end for a more complete viewing, because I left a LOT out]. And while this will NOT be “National Geographic Photo Contest Winners” quality – I found them quite compelling. I’ve tried to narrow it down to the ones that were both representative and interesting.

But first, a bit of news. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed a good guffaw yesterday when Ben Carson announced that Trump is simply “too humble” for “self-praise”. (Yeah, he actually said that – and with a straight face!)

NOTE: Since there are quite a few photos, to save at least a little real estate I’ve made the rest smaller than full-size. To view them full-size either right-click and choose “Open in New Tab/Window” or scroll-click if your mouse has that feature.

If you just click on them they’ll also open in full-size – but it’ll be as a new window, so then you have to do the return feature to get back to the article. Sorry, but you can't format them to open separely like hyperlinks.

Let’s meet David Allen and David Allsopp as they head out. (Allen said he dug around and found a souvenir t-shirt from the 2008 campaign.)

They made it!

Of course not everything got a “Thumbs Up” from them

Here are their Press Passes

Like a lot of convention goers, their motel was quite a ways out in the ‘burbs. And so like a lot of convention goers they commuted in every day on buses … lots, and LOTS of buses.

They were surprised how smoothly and quickly the security checkpoints were run

Of course they ran into quite a few celebrities – like Dan Rather

And I did a double-take thinking that our own TomCat actually made it Philly

I thought they’d be assigned a designated seat for the entire time – but they only are given a general section to occupy … and it changes based on how crowded the arena would be.

If you got there early enough, you had the place pretty much to yourself

So before the crowds showed up they grabbed a couple of orienting photos

And of course the first night featured Sen. Bernie Sanders!

And Michelle Obama – who brought the house down!

With the Keynote Address by Sen. Elizabeth Warren

The signs that we all enjoyed seeing the crowd wave are actually handed out at appropriate times, so the crowd can more easily “stay on message” (something that’s very foreign to Herr Drumpf)

The second day they took in some tourist attractions and enjoyed some fun stuff

This is the NBC Today show set/stage – and it’s about as crowded here as it was during their morning broadcasts when I watched (Disclaimer: I loathe Matt Lauer)

The small "Today" show crowds were odd because it’s right across the Green from Independence Hall

So of course they had to stop to see the crack in the Liberty Bell

Then headed back to the Convention – with all those crazy hats. What is it with those hats?

And they even ran into Jill Stein of the Green Party

But things improved when they actually got to meet Civil Rights Icon Rep. John Lewis

They got good seats to enjoy Pres. Bill Clinton regale the crowd with his “In the springs of 1971, I met a girl” story introducing us to Hillary.

And they had a chance to chat w/ Sen. Ron Wyden (eat your heart out, TC)

As things kept picking up and ticket holders actually showed up, they got moved further and further into the rafters. But one of them snuck out just as Pres. Obama was winding up his speech, so they grabbed this shot

Things did not begin auspiciously on their fourth and final day: They had the terrible misfortune to run into (wish it had been literally) Andrea (nee Mitchell) Greenspan

I missed the "Card Stunt" on TV while visiting my Mom in Illinois because I had stayed up the night before (Wednesday) to watch Pres. Obama’s entire speech (probably a good call). So I went to bed before Hillary spoke. But prior to the finale with Hillary, the crowd was involved in a Card Stunt. Did anyone see it? How did it turn out?

They were given instructions on their handouts, so this is a series of how it was done