I have a short time to write before I have to break to dress for my Prosthetics appointment, and I shall append this before I return.
My appointment with Amanda went quite well. She adjusted George and took an impression of my foot for new diabetic shoes. I'll set an appointment to return in about three weeks. TriMet, on the other hand, was horrible. The got me to my appointment an hour early, so i had a long wait. My return driver went to the wrong location and reported that I was not there. At the end of my window, I called to see where my ride was. Dispatch implied that I was not being truthful that I was there, and told me I had to wait several hours for another ride. I asked for customer service to complain. She was skeptical, but said they have software that takes a picture of every no show, and she would download the picture. When she came back, she had changed her tune, because the picture proved me right. She said that the software almost always proves the driver was right and apologized. She sent a free to pick me up at their expense, but I still returned home over two hours late. ARGH!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today's took me 4:31 (average 5:58). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube (GQ Channel): 40 Shady Things We Now Know About Trump and Russia | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann
We know enough to realize that there is treason afoot. The problem is that Republicans have become the Know Nothing Party. RESIST!!
From Fox News: …Ben Jacobs of The Guardian — walked into the room with a voice recorder, put it up to Gianforte's face and began asking if he had a response to the newly released Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act. Gianforte told him he would get to him later. Jacobs persisted with his question. Gianforte told him to talk to his press guy, Shane Scanlon.
At that point, Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him. Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the reporter. As Gianforte moved on top of Jacobs, he began yelling something to the effect of, "I'm sick and tired of this!"
Jacobs scrambled to his knees and said something about his glasses being broken. He asked Faith, Keith and myself for our names. In shock, we did not answer. Jacobs then said he wanted the police called and went to leave. Gianforte looked at the three of us and repeatedly apologized. At that point, I told him and Scanlon, who was now present, that we needed a moment. The men then left.
I bet you never thought I would ever post a Faux Noise piece, but they were the only ones there. It clearly demonstrates that Gianforte's version of what happened is a lie. He said, they said? If anyone would be biased in favor of the Republican, it's Faux. Furthermore, on the air, Faux is hyping Gianforte's lies and ignoring their own reporters. The pig has been charged with assault. Republicans love violence. RESIST!!
From Think Progress: Israel is altering how it shares intelligence with the United States after President Donald Trump shared classified information with Russia in the Oval Office two weeks ago.
Trump, who was meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Sergey Kislyak, Moscow’s ambassador to Washington, told both men about a believed threat from ISIS involving bombs buried inside of laptops. That information, the New York Times reported, came from Israel — something that was unconfirmed officially until Trump himself seemingly let it slip while speaking in Israel on Monday, ironically while attempting to defend himself on the issue to the media.
“I never mentioned the word or the name ‘Israel’. Never mentioned during that conversation,” Trump said. “They’re all saying I did, so you have another story wrong. Never mentioned the word ‘Israel.’”
But Israeli officials seem concerned less about being named as the intelligence source and more about the information leaking in general. Intelligence officials reportedly shouted at their U.S. counterparts over the leak, worried that a vital source might have been compromised to Russia — notably an ally of Israel’s regional foe, Iran. Now, the country is taking steps to ensure that the problem doesn’t happen in future.
This is a terrible development for US intelligence. As much as I have opposed Israel's horrid policies toward Palestinians and shall continue to do so, Israel has been our best source of middle eastern intelligence. Where we have only SigInt, Israel has HumInt. Trump has made us all less safe. RESIST.
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread – 5/25/2017”
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KO: Lordy, it just get worse day by day, doesn't it. WOW!! Let the investigations continue!
Fake News: wth?? This is awful, that this happened, but I'm glad that Gianforte has been charged (as he should) for physical assault.
TP: dt is an asshat. Totally and completely. He also told Duterte that there where two nuclear subs (US Navy) at.
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-revealed-nuclear-submarines-north-korea-duterte-kim-jong-un-614888
Cartoon: Tennessee authorities arrested John Scopes, a substitute high school teacher, for teaching evolution.Only 24 years old, Scopes saw the case as a chance to stand up for academic freedom. Sadly, after his trial he never taught again. *https://www.biography.com/people/john-scopes-17183774
Glad that your appointment, but sorry about what happened at the departure phase of your trip. Glad that you got home all right. Hope that you get a chance to relax, and to have a good evening. Take care, and Thanks, Tom.
Did anyone see this? "Former US president gets hero’s welcome as he reunites with Angela Merkel and urges crowd to ‘fight those who divide us’
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/25/barack-obama-draws-crowd-of-tens-of-thousands-in-berlin
7:41 I would think pigs would fly sooner than I could finish that one.
SO sorry that your day was rough.
Keith #79 – And this is a competent and thorough summary. It probably won't convince any Trumpettes; but then, it probably wouldn't even if the language was totally boring and neutral throughout, instead of creative (and multi-syllabic) as it is.
Fox – As many people have been commenting (the story is ALL OVER; I don't know how anyone could have missed it), local people at Fox affiliates are often VERY different from the network people – who did not disappoint – Faux and Friends presented only Gianforte's "statement" – in other words, threw their own people under the bus. It's too early right now for results, but I'm sure many of us will be watching.
TP – Well. I'm sorry that they have to do that. But I'm glad they are doing it. He is perfectly capable of starting World War III just by shooting off his mouth. I am also sorry for US intelligencewho now have a handicap through no fault of their own.
Cartoon – No elephant saying "We would have lynched him!"?
What do your rides cost? No one wants to twiddle their thumbs for two hours – but at least you got a free ride!
And KUDOS to Alicia Acuna for being that almost extinct entity at Faux News: an honest reporter!
$2.50 each way.
Puzzle — 4:37 Well that will put in your spine. If you decide to eat this Puddy Tat, make sure the iron does not constipate you!
YouTube — Der Drumpfenfarten, sailing in extremely rough seas of stupidity and greed, is unable to alter its course to avoid a collision with an extremely large iceberg. All hands lost!
Fox News — When I saw this yesterday I started laughing because for a change, Fox was actually not supporting the GOP rep's, Gianforte, explanation of events. Gianforte won the special election today, but a question. If, and that is a very big if, Gianforte were found guilty of assault, would he still be allowed to take his seat in Congress? I understand that the local law enforcement is a significant supporter of Gianforte and the charge is a misdemeanor. Apparently Gianforte issued an apology, albeit quite a lame one, to Ben Jacobs after Gianforte won the special election today.
Think Progress — Not only is Israel changing their intelligence sharing with the US, but Theresa May of the UK has said that it will not be sharing intelligence with the US either. Drumpfenfarten has managed to piss off two close allies in very short order with his stupidity. I guess Drumpfenfarten has not heard that loose lips sink ships!
Cartoon — Based on what I read, there are places today that would gladly do the Scopes Monkey Trial, The Sequel.
It seems Drumpf is doing everything humanly possible to make the US a laughig stock internationally. At the NATO meeting in Belgium, he shoved another head of state so that he could be in the front of the pack Oh those narcissistic ways are always out there for all to see. Drumpf thinks he is important on the world stage, a big leader. Actually, he is a toddler having tantrums, and everybody sees it . . . but him of course.
Resist and Persist!!!
That is a wretched trip for you today, but at least it was a good appointment with Amanda. We are heading into 30 C (86 F) weather Saturday and Sunday. Hot and dry is the call for the next week or so. Argghhh! I hate heat. I guess it is time to get the fans up from the basement. Take care!
I hope the video above makes up for the horrible way TriMet treated you, again, TomCat. It's a very interesting take on the "shove" Drumpf gave the PM of Montenegro to get to the front for the photo shoot. When the BBC news showed this in the 9 o'clock news yesterday, their comment was "He's got to show who's alpha male" too.
Keith Olbermann: Forty shady things we already know about Drumpf and Russia and have bounced of the Republican wall of contempt for the American people.
Not Faux News this time: It didn't seem to matter that even Faux News reported fairly on what happened between Gianforte and Jacobs, the Montanans apparently weren't interested in what Trumpcare would do to them and rather preferred the aggression of the Republican candidate, who was charged with the attack, to Democrat Quist. That doesn't bode well for 2018, at least not yet.
TP: Israel isn't the only country that has problems with sharing its intelligence information: UK PM May has raised Intelligence leaks with Drumpf too after "classified" shared details on the Manchester bombing appeared in The New York Times. The BBC already had noted that the intelligence leaks might US-UK relationship in an article that excellently summarizes the problem. Apparently May has discussed this with Drumpf and the news here mentioned that Drumpf had confided in her that he also had met with some leaks and was going to do his utmost to stop them. Not the answer you'd expect from a strong world leader who's on top of things and who doesn't leak intelligence when the fancy takes him, but his spin doctors turned this incident to his advantage by having him issue a statement.
It makes you wonder if May has not given him the opportunity to obstruct justice even more that he was looking for. But that's OK with Theresa May, they're best buddies again.
Thanks all. Exhausted Hugs!
Keith: When is the REAL question! I am trying to imagine what Rumpy's rsponse might look like, WHEN indictments start being handed around! If one, or more, are for Jared, I'm afraid Rumpy will hit the damned nuclear button. A true national hero would be the officer with the equipment refusing to give it up!
Faux News: Hey, if even Whittaker Chambers could have told the truth, even once, as has been alleged in regard to his anti-Communist book of decades ago, who are we to not applaud this one bizarre twist of fate?
TP: A typical dodge by Empty Orange. So, he never actually n=mentined the name of Israel, technically, perhaps true, and in his 7 year old mentality he sees this as exonerating…a word he probably can not spell, but might be able to allude to as "That thing!"