Open Thread for September 24, 2021

 Posted by at 6:55 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 242021
 

Yesterday, it was (IMO) cold again. I turned on my portable heater. Eventually it warmed up some. If the forecast holds, it’ll be perfect for my drive on October 1, but the forecasts haven’t been holding that long as a rule. I can only hope.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

HuffPost – The Senate May Actually Produce A Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Bill
Quote – Senate and White House aides involved in months of negotiations on a VAWA reauthorization bill tell HuffPost that despite the relative silence on the subject, they’re feeling optimistic about unveiling bipartisan legislation ― and soon. “We are encouraged by the progress in the Senate and are looking forward to a bipartisan bill being introduced this fall,” said a White House official familiar with talks on a VAWA bill.
Click through for the story. I’m not holding my breath, but I am somewhat hopeful.

The Hill – Debt ceiling fight pits corporate America against Republicans
Quote – The debt ceiling battle on Capitol Hill is pitting corporate America against congressional Republicans in a test for business groups that have historically aligned with GOP lawmakers on economic issues. Senate Republican leaders are digging in on their opposition to raising or suspending the debt limit, prompting sharp warnings from lobbying groups that represent some of the biggest U.S. corporations.
Click through for details. Republicans may kowtow to bug business … but apparently there’s not one in a hundred who actualy understands how business works. But I guess that shouldn’t be surprising.

Crooks and Liars – ‘Epik Hack’ Is Right Wing’s Worst Nightmare
Quote – “It’s massive. It may be the biggest domain-style leak I’ve seen and, as an extremism researcher, it’s certainly the most interesting,” said Megan Squire, a computer science professor at Elon University who studies right-wing extremism. “It’s an embarrassment of riches — stress on the embarrassment.”
Click through for the story to this point. I assume no one here wants (I certainly don’t) to track any of this down personally and get any of these sites into their browser history, but if you do, Twitter is the place to start looking.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 9/23/21

 Posted by at 12:12 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 232021
 

Bonus Glenn Kirschner on Stephanie Miller

The Lincoln Project – Last Week In The Republican Party

Meidas Touch – “A F**king Moron”: Eichenwald SLAMS ‘sociopath’ Tucker Carlson for anti-vax show. Kurt Eichenwald is a brilliant and passionate writer. He is also an epilectic. I bring this up because it has happened that vile people have targetrd him by tweeting or otherwise sending him strobe light videos which induce seizures. And I so admire his courage that he is still out there swinging.

MSNBC – Surprises At Trump Moneyman Hearing. Some of this we know.

Christo Aivalis – Trump Family Lawyer QUITS ON THEM During Trial

Really American – Vaccinated Tucker Bashes Mandates

Robert Reich – Democrats Have to Make This Choice

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden not following the science….

Share

Open Thread for September 23, 2021

 Posted by at 6:44 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 232021
 

Yesterday, it was cool again.  Or maybe I should say what most people would call cool.  My body does not recognize “cool” as a thing.  It recognizes three temperature ranges – uncomfortably hot, comfortably warm, and freakin’ cold.  So I wrapped up in a warm winter bathrobe – over my clothes – and finally got my hands to the point where I could no longer use tham as an icepack.   I never did get my feet to that point.  This explains why I am not really ready for fall.  But it is what it is.  It may get warmer for at least a few days.  We’ll see.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

I’m quoting this comment in full because it puts things in perspective. It’s from Bernardo de La Paz at Democratic Underground.
Which is more likely?
A) It takes time to get it all right because you get only one chance with the main case against an ex-President.
B) The case is huge because more stuff is being discovered.
C) A and B.
D) Garland is corrupt.
E) Garland is incompetent despite being nominated to the Supreme Court and to Attorney-General.
F) Obama and Biden are incompetent or worse because Garland is incompetent or worse and they nominated him to the Supreme Court and to Attorney-General.
If you choose to click through, you can click through again and see all the comments, not just the reactions to this one, but also reactions to the original tweet.

The Hill – House passes bill to prevent shutdown and suspend debt limit
Quote – Democrats are nonetheless attaching the debt limit suspension through Dec. 16, 2022, to a must-pass bill to avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1 in an attempt to pressure Republicans to drop their threats. It’s also unclear if the reconciliation package would be ready in time to be used as a legislative vehicle for addressing the debt limit.
Click through if you like. It’s the same old Republican tactic We’ve seen this movie way too many times already.

Wonkette – Border Patrol / Slave Patrol, Tomato / Other Tomato
Quote – At least one officer of the federal government cosplaying a slave catcher used a whip against the migrants. One officer on horseback yelled, “This is why your country’s shit, because you use your women for this.” The people that Customs and Border Protection officers were attacking were returning to the US with supplies for a group of thousands of people who have been living under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas. People living there say they are just trying not to starve to death.
Click through for details. You may have seen this elsewhere (maybe not as bluntly.) DHS could be useful if its mission were turned around to focus on domestic terrorism – provided its focus was on white terrorists.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 9/22/21

 Posted by at 12:29 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 222021
 

Glenn Kirschner – More Evidence of Trump Crimes Revealed: John Eastman 6-Point-Plan to Overturn Election Results

Thom Hartmann – Why Is Santa Going to Drop A Bomb on Biden? So obvious – unless one is not paying attention. I was brought up -and that was reinforced by – well, everything factual – watching our government, watching other countries – to view taxes as an investment. By paying taxes, I invest in good government, including infrastructure, justice, social programs. It’s only Republicans (and those they influence to be ignorant) who view taxes as theft.

Really American – GOP Shows Disdain For Veterans

VoteVets – Stand (Captions)

Liberal Redneck – Project Falsus

Puppet Regime – Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Trap

Beau – Let’s talk about Trump vs McConnell….

Share

Open Thread for September 22, 2021

 Posted by at 7:28 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 222021
 

Yesterday, I observed that, although a high on 90°F had been forecast, it never actually made it above 66°F. Forecasts for the rest of the week have also been lowered around 10°F. So maybe it will cool off before the end of the month. Not that I’m really mentally ready for that, but it’s not my decision. My next visit is scheduled for October 1, and I’d be happy with cool weather for that day.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Five Oregonians Hospitalized After Taking Ivermectin For COVID
Quote – The Oregon Poison Center has managed 25 cases involving Oregonians intentionally misusing ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19 between Aug. 1 and Sept. 14. Five of those cases involved hospitalization, and two people were so severely ill that they had to be admitted to an intensive care unit. Although the Oregon Poison Center also serves Alaska and Guam, the vast majority of ivermectin cases it has managed this year have come from Oregon.
Click through for stats. Sadly no state – and no county – and no town – and even no nation is idiot-free

The Hill – Five things to watch as Biden heads to the UN
The five are: 1. Do France tensions carry over
2. How does COVID-19 loom over the event
3. Do leaders announce any new climate initiatives
4. What is the Afghanistan fallout?
5. Biden looks for reset on foreign policy priorities
Click through for reasons. The missing question marks on #1 through #3 are The Hill’s omission, not mine.

Tampa Officials Shocked To Learn Evicting Black People For Basically No Reason Miiiiight Be Considered Racist
Quote – So it turns out the Tampa, Florida, police department has been encouraging landlords to evict their [usually Black] tenants, in the name of “crime prevention.” Because, as we all know, making people homeless is a great way to reduce crime.
Click through for complete story, in Wonkette’s inimitable style. You might consider cushioning your head first, since you may feel like hitting it against the wall.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 9/21/21

 Posted by at 11:43 am  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 212021
 

Glenn Kirschner – More Indictments Coming From NY DA Vance, Per Today’s Hearing in Weisselberg/Trump Org. Court Case

The Lincoln Project – Brian Kemp Laugh Track

politicsrus – Afghanistan Truth HD

RepresentUs – The Freedom to Vote Act Summary and Explanation. This is not the JohnLewis Act – it is the one which originates in the Senate … and therefore has a chance of passing. And it’s likely the best we are going to get. Ask yourself would we be better off with it or without it before picking at what it doesn’t do.

Robert Reich – 10 Years Since Occupy – What Did We Learn?

Armageddon Update – 9-11: We Forgot to Never Forget

Founders Sing – Here They Come Again

Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, mistakes, and the 1950s…. I rest my case (I’m blue in the face from repeating it myself, though nit as well as this presentation.)

Share

Open Thread for September 21, 2021

 Posted by at 7:29 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 212021
 

Yesterday, I slept in a couple of hours – no cool dreams, but I awoke to a day cool enough to shut off all the fans again. Of course. I surely could have used that kind of weather Sunday. Today is supposed to stay cool-ish, and then back to the fans for another week. Of course that’s not carved in stone. Incidentally, today is the day the US celebrates the Chinese Moon Festival (China celebrates for 3 days). If there is an Asian grocery near you, you might want to see whether they have any extra Mooncakes. Yum.

Cartoon – 21 21Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Eric Trump Has A Fit On Fox News Over Getting Subpoenas ‘Every Single Day’
Quote – Eric Trump complained on Sunday that the Trump Organization and the Trump family is facing an onslaught of investigations and that they are forced to respond to subpoenas “every single day.”
Click through for complete whine. No extra charge for projection. But, if he’s telling the truth about receiving tham, that os good news indeed.

The Hill – Drug companies on verge of sinking longtime Democratic priority
Quote – The bill at the center of the fight, H.R. 3, would allow Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs by tying them to the lower prices paid by other high-income countries. The measure is projected to free up around $700 billion through the money it saves on drug purchases — covering a big chunk of the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending plan.
CLick through for background. This is the kind of story that often geets overlooked, but shouldn’t.

The 19th – ‘We’re seeing shock.’ Texas abortion clinics are now operating as trauma centers
Quote – When patients arrive at [Whole Woman’s Health in Fort Worth], she said, they are aware of the realities of the new law: Abortion past six weeks is now illegal, with no exceptions for rape and incest. Still, they can hardly process that there’s little the clinic can do to help them…. For patients they can’t treat, clinic staff offer to schedule appointments with providers out of state. To date, not a single patient at Whole Woman’s Health in Fort Worth has taken them up on it. Most are taken aback by the offer, Sadler said. They’ve already had to take time off of work, find child care and transportation, even leave meals for family at home just to make it through the door at her clin
Click through for more. The 19th is (as you might guess by reading the 19th Amendment) woman-centered, and this article puts a face on the issue which most publications don’t.

Food for Thought –

Share

Video Thread 9/20/21

 Posted by at 11:43 am  Open Thread, Politics
Sep 202021
 

Glenn Kirschner – 60-Second Clip: It’s the Department of “Justice” not the Department of “Just Move On.”

Don Winslow Films – #McCarthysPlanToAttackBiden

The Lincoln Project – Abbott’s Wall

Franklin Project – Teachers are Civic Superheroes

Colorado Turnout Project – Crickets From Rep. Doug Lamborn (no CC)

Really American – Tuckers Newly Obsessed With Testicles (It is also possible the dude’s testicles are swollen, from some other cause, which he is too embarrassed to admit to [or doesn’t know why.])

Beau – Let’s talk about AOC’s dress…. (As a fabric artist [OK, technically a fiber artist, but still], I love it that he managed to get in the word “fabricate.”)

Share
 Older Entries  Newer Entries