Portland is under an ice storm warning. Fortunately Wendy is an Iowa girl with a 4 WD truck, so things like that rarely stop her. She just texted that she’s on the way and should be here before I finish writing this article. On today’s schedule is emulsify the stinky TomCat, do the dreaded task, cook a casserole, and some light housekeeping. Fortunately, she’ll be done before this afternoon, when freezing rain and wind gusts to 50 MPH are forecast.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:54 (average 4:34). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos:
A little over a week ago, House Republicans began their attempts to turn our government into an old-timey Stalin-esque politburo by floating out a ban on video and camera use in Congress by lawmakers. They were trying to rid themselves of having the American people actually see how full of shit they are when they attempt to pass crap laws or sit on their manicured fingers while the nation waits for them to enact meaningful legislation. Wednesday, the House Republicans voted to adopt their new rules for the 115th Congress, first session—H. Res. 5 allows fines to be imposed on any “Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner for the use of an electronic device for still photography or for audio or visual recording or broadcasting.”
A fine imposed pursuant to this para- 11 graph shall be $500 for a first offense and 12 $2,500 for any subsequent offense.
Democrats are unified in their defiance of this terrible attempt to thwart democratic practices in our country.
“What other ways will they deprive us for communicating with the American people?” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asked before Tuesday’s vote. The fines come as a response to a sit-in led by Democrats last year, in which dozens of legislators took control of the House floor to urge Congress to pass additional gun-control measures following a mass shooting at a Florida nightclub in June. After the sit-in began, Republicans cut camera feeds to the House floor, and in response, Democratic lawmakers used apps like Periscope to live-stream footage of the protests.
Here’s a visual example of elected officials actually doing what they were elected to do and attempting to get meaningful public safety legislation voted on.

It’s nice to see that all Democrats are not turning balls up, like Chuck "my ass is greased for Republicans" Schumer (DINO-NY), whose leadership I have opposed since the day that Leg Hound Harry announced his retirement. RESIST!!
From KP Daily Funnies: The Shocking Truth About Planned Parenthood
Support Planned Parenthood! RESIST!!
From CNN: Several of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees have still not been properly vetted less than one week before hearings begin on Capitol Hill, the Office of Government Ethics said in a letter to Democratic senators Friday.
"The announced hearing schedule for several nominees who have not completed the ethics review process is of great concern to me," OGE Director Walter M. Shaub wrote in a letter to New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. "This schedule has created undue pressure on OGE’s staff and agency ethics officials to rush through these important reviews."
Shaub — who said OGE hasn’t received initial drafts from some nominees — continued: "I am not aware of any occasion in the four decades since OGE was established when the Senate held a confirmation hearing before the nominee had completed the ethics review process."
Bought Bitch Mitch demanded full disclosures, including financial, on all Obama’s appointees eight years ago. There’s a reason Republicans don’t want the ethics reviews completed. Can you guess want it is? RESIST!!
Cartoon:





