Well here we are . . . 26/11/18 and now less than one month until Christmas. Have I depressed anyone yet with that thought? How about this . . . just over 2 years left to put up with that idiot masquerading as POTUS! And his ill informed antics continue! On a more positive note, it is less than 2 months until the Democrats take the majority in the Congress. As a pastor of mine said to me a number of years ago as we conducted a Seder supper just before Easter for our congregation, “Next year in Jerusalem!” I will paraphrase to “Next year in Washington!”. For me it was a very tiring weekend . . . I minded my Sareena and her friend from 1900 hours Saturday until 0130 hours on Sunday while their parents went out to dinner and a concert. OMG, these girls had more energy than the Energiser Bunny! . . . on steroids!!! Hence, Sunday was a write off!!! And in the words of our beloved Puddy Tat, TomCat, “OGIM!!!”
JigZone Puzzle
Today’s took me 4:05 (average 5:30). To do it, click here. (This link will automatically open to a new page.) How did you do?
Yesterday’s took me 5:00 (average 5:29). To do it, click here. (This link will automatically open to a new page.) How did you do?
Short Takes
AlterNet — Republican Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on Sunday pushed back on Donald Trump’s assertion that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) did not conclude that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in the murder of Washington Postcolumnist Jamal Khashoggi.
“I disagree with the president’s assessment,” Lee told “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd. “It’s inconsistent with what I’ve seen.” …
Lee on Sunday agreed with the CIA’s assessment. “Intelligence I’ve seen suggests this was ordered by the crown prince,” the Republican senator said, later adding he doesn’t “know why [Trump’s] siding with the Saudis.”
Here are two tapes from Lawrence O’Donnell that, IMO, answers Lee’s question.
CIA assessment: Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi hit
Trump thanks Saudi Arabia for low oil prices, but ignores murder of journalist
For additional information on Trump’s association with Saudi Arabia, check out Despite denials, Trump ties to Saudi Arabia part of public record at MSNBC under Rachel Maddow. Unfortunately, I can’t find the copy code to imbed it, but to say the least, Trump’s financial dealings with Saudi Arabia are and have been extensive.
Far be it for me to agree with any Republican, but Lee is spot on to ask the question. More Republicans should be questioning Trump and expose him as the fraud he is.
Reuters — When U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to investigate large scale killings of white farmers in South Africa and violent takeovers of land, Pretoria said he was misinformed. Elsewhere, there was quiet satisfaction.
For a little-known South African activist group, Trump’s intervention, following a Fox News show criticizing the land reform plans of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ruling African National Congress, signaled a job well done.
“The best possible outcome that we hoped for was for a statement by the president of the USA, which we got,” Ernst Roets, deputy CEO of Afriforum, told Reuters in his office in a quiet suburb of the capital. …
Trump’s intervention stole the limelight during Ramaphosa’s high-profile visit to the U.N. general assembly in September.
Ramaphosa made light of Trump’s comments but an ANC source said he was very angry.
Every president since Nelson Mandela led South Africa out of white-minority rule in 1994 has tried, and largely failed, to redress an imbalance whereby whites – nine percent of 56 million South Africans – own more than 70 percent of agricultural land.
Trump fuelling discord . . . again. Or is it ‘still’! And of course, he has his precious Faux Noise and idiots like Tucker Carlson to stir the boiling pot. The article mentions significant economic inequality. Perhaps Trump should solve the issues of income and economic inequality at home first.
The New Yorker — Robert Mueller’s announcement that he would be offering Cyber Monday plea deals touched off hysteria among disgraced Trump associates desperate for the chance to score a drastically reduced sentence.
Moments after the office of the special counsel went live with its Cyber Monday Web site, Sing4Bob.com, thousands of Trump cronies flooded it with traffic, causing the site to briefly crash.
Harland Dorrinson, the member of Mueller’s team who masterminded the Cyber Monday sale, said that the special counsel was offering a limited number of “prison doorbusters,” with sentences up to seventy-five per cent off.
“I’m not surprised that people are going crazy for these bargains,” Dorrinson said. “Otherwise, you could go to trial and face one of those Obama judges.”
Considering that, according to some news sources, Manafort just breached his plea deal conditions, any takers should watch their step because it could backfire if their attempt is less than honourable. Maybe Trump will pardon, maybe he won’t. He is a serial liar extraordinaire.
And from The Department of Oh Really . . .
Washington Post — President Trump, who once called his attorney general “Mr. Magoo” and referred to the leader of North Korea as “Rocket Man,” has maintained a more respectful nomenclatorial relationship with himself, sometimes going so far as to avoid the pronoun “I” as if it were too informal.
Bill Gates once recalled the president telling him, “Trump hears that you don’t like what Trump is doing,” which is one of many famous examples of what author J.K. Rowling calls “third Trumperson:” the formal means by which Trump speaks of Trump.
At least, those seemed to be the rules until Sunday, when the president addressed himself with a nickname.
“So great that oil prices are falling (thank you President T),” Trump wrote — almost certainly referring to himself, and not the London-based rap musician, @Prez_T (warning explicit content).
“President T”? It should be “President I” for idiot! Read through this short piece for some more depressing humour.
My Universe — My Sunday after the night before . . .
Posted to Care2 HERE
22 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 26 November 2018”
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The president is gassing children.
The president gave orders to use lethal force on anyone illegally coming over the boarder.
The president said to treat rocks as they were guns.
We cannot wait for another election, or the results of an investigation.
Impeach Trump NOW!!
I hear you Jerry! He should never have been a candidate for POTUS in the first place, so blame spineless Republicans for that. If he were impeached now, or in the next Congress, he would be exonerated by the Republican Senate despite the fact that he is as guilty as sin. And you can believe, having gone through that, there is one word that conveys what would transpire (IMO of course) . . . VENDETTA!
I keep adding years to the estimate on how long it will take our country to recover from the disaster that’s currently in the White House.
And don’t get me started on those hideous blood-red “Christmas” trees that Melania used to decorate OUR house.
A more accurate photo:
They are meant to be Christmas trees? Well, then those white caps are the only peaks fitting for them.
Melania is obvious just as clueless and socially challenged as her husband. Must be because she’s the most bullied person in the world.
The caps were shopped in by a progressive who was as appalled by the naked trees as we all are (many have said they resemble used tampons). Ironic that a handmaid’s cap gives them more dignity than they had without.
That is what I first thought!
Handmaiden’s Tree! A perfect tribute to Melania, staying with that POS.
Hideous is an understatement! Some say my Christmas tree is “different” which it is, but at least it has a historical story about it and does not even pretend to be a tree. It is made from a tree though.
Sunday 5:21 Those colors certainly woke me up.
Monday 5:36 I’ve certainly seen less appetizing candy, including here at Jigzone.
OK, this took the prize for unintended irony Friday. I was just running down my emails to delete in bulk what I don’t want to bother with, when I came to these two subjects in this order:
“Here’s how you know Donald Trump is utterly terrified”
“Donate now to build his confidence”
Monday, November 26, is “Pay what you can” day at Stamp Stampede. If you are not already stamping your currency with messages like “Not to be used for bribing politicians,” this would be a good day to start. (There’s still time.)
AlterNet – When a Republican is correct (right, they always are, but that’s not admirable) it is such news that it captures the entire cycle.
Reuters – This seemed to me a fairly obvious attempt to undermine the South African government with an eventual goal of bringing back apartheid. He loves fascism and racism everywhere he sees it.
TNY – Everyone playing in this game thinks they are smarter than everyone else, and in particular smarter than those upholding the law. May it backfire nuclearly on all of them.
WaPo – Indeed.
Universe – Hey, if you have a dish to fall into, and food to eat in it, you’re lucky, compared to way too many people the world over.
So far no dawgs for Puddy Tat to nosh on!
Alternet: Well, Mike Lee may not know why Drumpf is doing this, but the two O’Donnell tapes made it abundantly clear why:
1. An enormous financial conflict of interest between president and real-estate developer Drumpf who continues the latter in Saudi Arabia even when president,
2. Drumpf is not condemning tyrants for behaviour he himself exhibits and would even like to exhibit more of.
3. Not mentioned, but undoubtedly very important to Drumpf: his first foreign trip was to Saudi Arabia and they knew exactly how to wrap him up by treating him like a king and singing his praise all day long. There’s no way in the world Drumpf would forgo that.
Reuters: In the morning Fox and Friends feed Drumpf some lies on South Africa and, being the racist he is, swallows it hook, line and sinker and start the next international incident. And he’s too stupid to realize that he’s being used. Yes, a strong president, a great leader, right? ?
TNY: Bloody brilliant, Andy. “Sing4Bob.com” offering a limited number of plea deals with sentences up to seventy-five per cent off. I love it!
WP: Only a man who is thankful for himself on Thanksgiving would claim a nickname for himself, and such a pathetic one at that. There was a moment when Americans could feel “plaatsvervangende schaamte”, which translates into “(be) ashamed/embarrassed for someone else”. This is far, far beyond that.
My Universe: So sorry you were so “dog” tired, Lynn. Kids are energy magnets, aren’t they. Hope you’re rising above that now. The plate, I mean.
Thanks for another great post despite your exhaustion, Squatch.
Andy does have a way with words doesn’t he!
AN: dt is so far up the $$$$ Saudi’s robes, it’s not funny…..but very, very obvious. To put (or try) to trivialize Mr. Khashoggi’s murder with his remarks, is reprehensible. Shame Mr. Lee’s comment can’t (or won’t) be backed by others in the GOP to stand up against this, and the sitting tyrant in the oval office. That is downright scary, imho.
Reuters: Sowing hatred rather than trying to amend the situation, is what dt does best. ugh!!
NYer: Omg, how funny! I did read about Manafort lying, so we’ll see where this leads too now, and the others too.
WP: What a narcissist individual, and with no one holding him back, he’ll do more damage before he’s gone. To this country and it’s citizens, and globally too. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201511/the-7-things-only-narcissists-will-do
MU: Awww…..you sound like you need a couple naps, like the little kitty there. No…not a face plant, but a pillow plant. Take care of yourself too, Lynn. Thanks for posting.
About those trees….(Thanks, Nameless), when I first saw them, I immediately thought ‘blood trees’, what possessed Melania to have them installed, and what is she conveying silently by it? Definitely not traditional in my mindset of what Christmas means to me…imho.
Joanne, I agree, the Handmaiden’s caps render them with some order of dignity.
DT only cares about money and himself (I think he conflates the two!), nothing about people, and this makes it very obvious. Too bad Republicans and his base don’t see him for what he is . . . a narcissistic grifter!
Alternet: Dumpy and the Saudis is much like the Bush family and the Saudis, scrape and beg, kiss ass!
Reuters: I think it is “Still.” dumpy has not missed a single opportunity to support white delusional supremacy, for like ever.
New Yorker: Well, it’s giving Tuesday, right? Maybe we should give Harland Dorrinson some green stars. One has to wonder what is going on in that tiny little black hole of a brain that lives in Manafort’s skull.
WP: That one, also known as “The Dump,” sees himself as an entity unto himself, separate from the ordinary goings on with which humans bother themselves.
My Universe: At least you look comfortable.
I rather thought that ‘still’ was where it was at too.
I was comfortable but I breathed in too much kibble dust!
Good News Update for Ye of Little Faith.
Oh YEA!!!!! I love it when a plan comes together! I wonder if Manafart has figured this out yet?
I doubt it.
AN: tRump makes me sick with how he pardons all of these rich Saudis and speaks disrespect of our own CIA/When one of these counties bombs us, he’ll be just as stupid and say it was probably an accident. He scary, like he’s more for our enemies than he is for us.WP: Agree with Pat.Thanks Lynn. for the posting.
When another country bombs the US, Diaper Don will blame Obama!
Thanks all!