Open Thread – Page 786 – Politics Plus

Open Thread–7/8/2012

Posted by TomCat at 9:28 am Monthly Report, Open Thread, Politics, Religion

Jul 082012

Yesterday I did manage to get a little sleep. It only reached 86° outside, but the temperature in the enclosed breezeway outside my only windows reached 132°, and at my desk, 99°. My walls are still radiating heat, but my little 250W AC had dropped it to 91° today at sunrise. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow is uncertain, because today is forecast to be even hotter.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:08 (average 5:01). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: George McGovern Nails What Patriotism Is All About In One Sentence

Sen. George McGovern

The blind acceptance (with inferred obedience) of which McGovern speaks is NOT patriotism. It is nationalism. The Republican lie that such nationalism is patriotism is an obstacle to authentic patriotism.

From NY Times: The United States declared Afghanistan a major, non-NATO ally on Saturday, with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton personally delivering the news of Afghanistan’s entry into a club that includes Israel, Japan, Pakistan and other close Asian and Middle Eastern allies.

While the intent of so doing is to ease troop withdrawal is well intended, I consider this a mistake by the Obama administration, because it is wasted on the corrupt puppet, Hamid Karzai, whom GW Bush installed there only because he was already in thrall to Big Gas and Oil, as a Unocal employee.

From Right Wing Watch: Fischer: Mandate That Everyone Attend Church And Tax Those Who Don’t

This is want Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians mean by &ampquotfreedom of religion".</font></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p></body></html>

This is want Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians mean by "freedom of religion".

Cartoon:

8Cartoon

Open Thread–7/7/2012

Posted by TomCat at 9:04 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Jul 072012

Yesterday the heat was severe, and it set off my COPD. I could not sleep at all last night. Therefore, this is today’s only article, so I can go to bed. I am not current with replies, but will catch up ASAP. Today is supposed to be even hotter, so tomorrow is uncertain.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:16 (average 5:19). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Dear Climate Deniers, You’re Ridiculous. Warmly, Bill Maher & Neil Degrasse Tyson, Esq.

I knew animals were brighter than Republicans, but he made an excellent case that plants are too.

From Reuters: Oregon will soon qualify as the third U.S. state to ask voters in November to legalize marijuana for recreational use in a move that could put the state on a collision course with the federal government, proponents said on Friday.

Backers of the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act said they have collected 165,000 signatures on petitions seeking to put the measure on the ballot, nearly double the 87,000 they were required to submit by Friday’s deadline to qualify.

While I have not used the drug in over 30 years, I support its legalization. It is hypocritical that it should be more restricted than alcohol, a far more harmful drug. Law enforcement and correctional resources can be better used elsewhere.

From Livingston Parrish News: Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Watson, says she had no idea that Gov. Bobby Jindal’s overhaul of the state’s educational system might mean taxpayer support of Muslim schools.

“I actually support funding for teaching the fundamentals of America’s Founding Fathers’ religion, which is Christianity, in public schools or private schools,” the District 64 Representative said Monday.

“I liked the idea of giving parents the option of sending their children to a public school or a Christian school,” Hodges said.

Hodges mistakenly assumed that “religious” meant “Christian.”

HB976, now signed into law as Act 2, proposed, among other things, a voucher program allowing state educational funds to be used to send students to schools run by religious groups.

Of course, this throws public schools under the bus. Not surprisingly, Republicans think freedom of religion means freedom for THEIR religion ONLY!

Cartoon:

7Cartoon

Open Thread–7/6/2012

Posted by TomCat at 11:25 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 062012

Friends, I hate to tell you this, but you have another heat wave on the way. I know, because most of what you get, I get first, and the heat wave that began yesterday is forecast to peak on Sunday and last about a week. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:50 (average 4:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: BP: Because Eyeless Shrimp Are, Y’know, Healthy And Stuff

Notice to right wingers: this is satire.

From NY Times: This is just what Tomas Lopez accomplished this week on Hallandale Beach, only to learn a short while later that he had been fired.

The reason was that as Mr. Lopez raced down the beach about a quarter-mile to comply with the big rule — rescuing a swimmer — he failed to follow a small rule. He breached protocol by running to an area outside his beach zone without waiting for his supervisor to arrive to cover his station, posing a potential liability problem.

What Teabuggery! Clearly this decision must have been made by a Republican. 😉

From Up Worthy (Hat-Tip CaityJ): Why America — Where Only The Rich Get Richer — Is Not A Democracy

While I agree with most of what Moyers said, the 1% and corporate criminals are now giving the virtually all of their "protection money" to Republicans and Republican PACs. That’s because most Democrats have stepped out for the 99%.

Cartoon:

6Cartoon

A new tour bus for RMoney!

Open Thread–7/5/2012

Posted by TomCat at 10:45 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 052012

I got more sleep last night, in spite of the fireworks. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow appears routine, but I have a ton of paperwork to do.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:45 (average 6:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: How Bad Did MoveOn Members Want To Help Pass Health Care Reforms? This Bad.

5hcr

A lot of effort went into it, and more would have, had Republicans not watered it down.

From Sacramento Bee: Under a little-known practice, Oregon social service officials are allowing certain food stamp applicants to deduct medical marijuana costs from their income when qualifying for benefits.

Only elderly or permanently disabled Oregonians who qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance may file for the deduction, according to the Oregonian ( http://is.gd/FmyWkp).

The Oregon deduction puts the state at odds with the federal government.

Yet again, Oregon leads the way.

From The New Civil Rights Movement: A same-sex couple who have a two-year old son have been denied access to a health club’s swimming pool because they are a same-sex couple. The Roanoke Athletic Club [bigots delinked], which is owned by a regional Virginia medical provider, Carilion Clinic, has revoked the membership of the family after they realized the family was headed by two gay dads.

Yet another example of Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian love.

Cartoon:

And a historic day it was! 😉

Open Thread–7/4/2012

Posted by TomCat at 10:12 am Open Thread, Personal, Plus, Politics

Jul 042012

Last night my shoulder was so sore that I got almost no sleep, so all I have today is this article and the holiday article. I’m current with replies, however brief. Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:31(average 5:07). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn:Here’s What Some In Congress Were Doing While Ignoring Our Pleas For Jobs

4nojobs

Choosing Republican rule is its own punishment.

From National Geographic: Speaking to a packed audience Wednesday morning in Geneva, CERN director general Rolf Heuer confirmed that two separate teams working at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are more than 99 percent certain they’ve discovered the Higgs boson, aka the God particle—or at the least a brand-new particle exactly where they expected the Higgs to be.

The long-sought particle may complete the standard model of physics by explaining why objects in our universe have mass—and in so doing, why galaxies, planets, and even humans have any right to exist.

I suppose Republicans will now make a move to outlaw Physics, because the God particle does not justify hatred, dishonesty, and greed like Supply-side Jesus (not the real Jesus) does.

From Bend Bulletin: Campfires, fireworks and even lit cigarettes can spark wildfires. In the tinder-dry West, there is growing concern about the threat from guns.

This year, officials believe target shooting or other firearms use sparked at least 21 wildfires in Utah and nearly a dozen in Idaho. Shooting is also believed to have caused fires in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

While I believe in the right to bear arms, I also believe that a shooting license could guarantee that an individual has had training in how to use guns safely. It’s not about taking away anyone’s guns, just like a drivers license takes away driving a car from only those who cannot demonstrate knowledge about vehicle safety.

Cartoon:

4Cartoon

Open Thread–7/3/2012

Posted by TomCat at 9:30 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 032012

I’m headed out to physical therapy today and have several errands to run while I’m out. I will not have time to distribute links to today’s articles until tomorrow. I am not current with replies and plan to catch up by tomorrow. Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:29 (average 5:08). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The Power To Fight The Koch Brothers Is Sitting Next To Your Toilet

3koch

Thou shalt not be a Koch sucker!

From NY Times: Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign threw cold water on a central Republican attack line on Monday, saying that President Obama’s health care mandate should be thought of as a penalty and not a tax.

That message, delivered first by a top aide to Mr. Romney on television and later by the campaign, contradicts top Republican Party officials and leaders in Congress, who have spent the last several days eagerly accusing the president of levying a new tax.

Isn’t it nice when the circular firing squad isn’t Democratic, for once?

From USA Today: Just in time for the summer, the ALCU in New Jersey is offering a free app that allows citizens to secretly record and store their encounters with police, The (Newark) Star-Ledger reports.

It follows the release in June of the ACLU New York’s "Stop and Frisk" app, which is available in English and Spanish.

What an excellent idea!

Cartoon:

3Cartoon

Red states, get over it!

Open Thread–7/2/2012

Posted by TomCat at 11:43 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 022012

This will probably be a slow week for news. Even Switch Hit Mitt is on vacation. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow I may have only an Open Thread, because I have physical therapy.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:47 (average 4:32). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Do You Want The Government Making Decisions About Your Health Care?

2Hypocrite

GOP Hypocrite defined!

From Think Progress: The University of Texas, Austin, has agreed to open an inquiry into the flawed parenting study conducted by one of its professors, Mark Regnerus. The study appears to have been politically calculated, using funding from right-wing foundations to produce skewed results portraying gay parenting in a negative light. Over 200 professors and therapists have critiqued the study’s analysis and publication.

This how Republicans do science.

From Huffington Post: Rupert Murdoch: ‘Doubtful’ That Romney Will Beat Obama In 2012 Election

I agree with Rupert Murdoch?!!? AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Cartoon:

2Cartoon

And the tinfoil hat was born! 😉

Open Thread–7/1/2012

Posted by TomCat at 11:14 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jul 012012

I’m running behind today. Even though I got up early, I had to collect all the data for tomorrow’s monthly report. I’m current on replies, albeit brief. Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:05 (average 4:49). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The Truth About Where Your Tax $ Is Going Will Shock You

And Republicans think that we should let our poor go hungry and our infrastructure, crumble.

From Reuters: Kansai Electric Power Co on Sunday restarted the 1,180-megawatt No. 3 unit at its Ohi atomic plant, the utility said, Japan’s first nuclear reactor to come back online since the Fukushima crisis, despite public safety concerns.

That’s even more stupid than drill, baby, drill.

From ABC: A top advisor to President Barack Obama urged Congressional Democrats on Friday to "go on offense" against Republicans on the issue of taxes and argued that the Supreme Court ruling upholding the incumbent’s signature health care law should be the "clear and final" word on the issue.

In a memo made public by the White House, David Plouffe accused Republicans of "trying to misrepresent" Obama’s record on taxes.

"We welcome this debate on middle class taxes, and we urge you to seize this opportunity to go on offense to illustrate how the President and Democrats in Congress are standing up for the middle class," Plouffe wrote.

We must take every opportunity to demonstrate that Republicans govern exclusively for the benefit of millionaires, billionaires and corporate criminals, while Democrats have worked to help the lower and middle classes, in spite of constant Republican obstruction and sabotage.

Cartoon:

1Cartoon

Older Entries Newer Entries