Politics Plus

Yesterday my butt finally decided that it isn’t Republican after all, but not before I was up all night.  My grocery delivery came.  Unpacking and storing a month’s groceries took about three hours and left me exhausted.  I did get a couple hours sleep before research time, and I am current on replies.  Today’s agenda is housekeeping and Zzzzz.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:40 (average 4:28).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From LA Times: When it opens its doors next week, the federal government’s new agency to protect consumers from financial fraud won’t be quite the aggressive watchdog promised a year ago.

Because of political squabbling, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau formally will launch without an appointed director. And the lack of leadership has real consequences.

I understand he picked someone other than Warren. 🙁

From CNN: Roughly 200 active-duty and retired U.S. service members marched in the San Diego gay pride parade Saturday, marking the first time in the parade’s history that a military contingent took part.

The service members were not dressed in uniform. Instead, they wore T-shirts to indicate which branch of the military they were affiliated with. Each branch of service was represented.

I celebrate their pride in who they are.

From Think Progress: Pawlenty has suggested that blame for the financial crisis rests only with the “catastrophic scandal of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” the two government sponsored mortgage giants. But for all his bluster about Freddie Mac, which required a massive bailout in 2008, Pawlenty had no problem making Freddie’s top government enabler a leader in his presidential campaign.

Let’s make sure the bloodthirsty base hears about this hypocrisy.

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Yesterday I felt exhausted from the start, due to lack of sleep. I went to the denturist to get my teeth. I put in a fresh O₂ bottle in my carrier to make sure I had plenty, but the valve was defective. I ran out of O₂, shortly after getting on the bus and had to walk 1½ miles and climb a double flight of stairs without oxygen. That did me in. I crunched. I enjoyed peanuts and beef jerky for the first time in years, but I’m having trouble with the lower partial.  When I open wide, it pops right out.  I have a full slate of articles, but need to reply with generic thank you messages to most since I am running so late and feel so wiped out.  Hopefully today will end of that for a while.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:57 (average 5:43).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Politico: The Pentagon is ready to fight hackers with their own weapons in cyberspace, the newest domain for warfare but also “reserves the right” to respond to a cyberattack with military force, defense officials said Thursday.

While I would have to evaluate response on a case by case basis, a cyber attack against our defenses/infrastructure is certainly an act of war.

From Huffington Post: In 2010, the Oregon state budget was three-quarters of a billion ($727 million) in the hole — a lot for a small state. So did they go with a "cuts-only" budget, i.e. shut down schools and services and to Hell with the poor?

No, they just raised taxes. Democrats proposed it, Republicans (naturally) opposed. So the choice was laid before the voters.

"Measure 66 raise(d) taxes on households with taxable income above $250,000, and Measure 67 set… higher minimum taxes on corporations and increase(d) the tax rate on upper-level profits."

America would be wise to follow Oregon’s lead in this.

From Daily Kos: New data released by the IRS reveals that, over a period of 12 years, tax rates for the richest 400 Americans were effectively cut in half. In 1995, the richest 400 Americans paid, on average, 29.93% of their income in federal taxes. In 2007, the last year for which the IRS has released data, the richest 400 Americans paid just 16.63%.

That’s far less than most Americans pay, while the bottom 40% of us own just 0.1% of the wealth.  Actually it’s worst.  I calculated that from the data for 2004.

Cartoon:

Yesterday was a zoo.  I was already tired from laundry night.  I ran some errands in the morning, and learned that I will get my teeth on Thursday.  I did my online grocery shopping for the month and have crunchy food coming!  Then I found an emergency notice to upgrade my blog software.  It did not go as planned, and by the time I had that mess straightened out, it was well past my bedtime.  No sooner was I asleep than “missionaries” ignored my do not disturb sign and woke me up.  I pretended to be gay and want them.  They ran.  I could not get back to sleep until I got up to do research.  Then I dozed for two hours at my keyboard, so I am running way late, am tired and hungry, and cannot eat for hours because of blood tests.  Normally, I would answer comments individually and sleep later, but I cannot, because I have to be out early for medical appointments, so I just posted a generic thank you in all threads.  I apologize.  I have only this and one other article today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:12 (average 5:00).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From LA Times: Ending a bitter special congressional election for the South Bay area, Democrat Janice Hahn defeated Republican Craig Huey on Tuesday.

Unofficial election night returns showed the Los Angeles city councilwoman with 54.6% of the vote, compared with the businessman’s 45.4%

Republican hate and racism went down!

From The Nation:

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, his conservative legislative allies, the Republican Party of Wisconsin and county Republican parties across Wisconsin tried everything in their power to thwart the recall election process that could check and balance Walker’s extreme anti-labor, anti-public schools, anti-social services and anti-local democracy agenda.

Frightened by the prospect of losing three or more Republican-held seats, and with them control of the state Senate, the GOP challenged the petitions that forced the recall elections against six Republican senators who backed the governor’s agenda. And they failed.

Ed Shultz covered this with Jon Nichols.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Note that Republicans actually made robocalls to Democrats, telling them that their official ballots were in the mail and not to vote.  Criminals.

From Right Wing Watch: Rick Perry Partner John Benefiel Claims Homosexuality Is An Illuminati Conspiracy.

The insaniTEA of pseudo-Christian hate.

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