Politics Plus

Yesterday I replied to comments, but did not feel up to visiting.  Today, I’ll probably do neither, because it’s my volunteer day with the therapy group.  To be honest, I’ll be pushing myself just to make it to that.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:11.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From LA Times: The first of 33 gold and copper miners entombed half a mile below ground for more than two months were hauled into the frigid Chilean desert air early Wednesday morning, emerging from a cramped, life-saving haven and into the embrace of family members once forced to confront the likelihood of their deaths.

I’m thankful that they’re going to be OK and proud of the key contributions to the effort by US volunteers.

From Houston Chronicle: The Obama administration on Tuesday lifted the deep-water drilling ban that has idled dozens of rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, but the end of the moratorium is only the beginning for the long process of restarting offshore exploration.

Everyone is mad at Obama over this.  Environmentalists don’t want the ban lifted, but Republicans and Oilycrats say the new regulations will stifle it.  I’ll reserve judgment for now, but am skeptical that the new regulations will be enough.

From News Hounds: Michele Bachmann visited the Glenn Beck show yesterday (10/12/10) where she and guest host Judge Andrew Napolitano wondered about the effects that winning Tea Party candidates will have on Washington, D.C. and vice versa. Bachmann said she plans to do her part to keep Tea Party legislators from being “so susceptible to melting” by conducting weekly classes on the Constitution for Congressional freshman. But no sooner had she invited Napolitano to be one of the guest experts, than he asked her whether the Tea Party would advocate for restoring civil liberties abolished under the Bush administration. Suddenly, Constitution-champion Bachmann began waffling and fumbling.

Batshit Bachmann is no constitutional expert, but she was an expert in practicing insanity, before she became an expert in practicing InsaniTEA.

Cartoon: from Cagle.com

Happy Hump Day!e

Yesterday, I still felt completely exhausted after my long day on Friday.  I rested and watched football until my groceries came.  Getting them unpacked and put away took over two hours.  I slept through most of the late games.  Realistically, I know I won’t be able to get to all the comments left during this long illness, but today or tomorrow I hope to reply to the last two or three days of them.

Jig Zone Puzzle: Today it took me 3:58.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Religious Agony:

Short Takes:

From NY Times: The Republican candidate for governor, Carl P. Paladino, told a gathering in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Sunday that children should not be “brainwashed” into thinking that homosexuality was acceptable.

Yikes!!  For once I agree with a Republican Teabagger!  That homosexuality is acceptable is indeed an incorrect message.  It would be far more accurate to say that it is normal for consenting adults to make love as defined by their own sexual orientation.  Somehow, I doubt this is what the GOPbagger meant.

From Washington Post: President Hamid Karzai has confirmed he’s been in talks with the Taliban on securing peace in war-weary Afghanistan.

I hope this proves fruitful.

H/T Crooks and Liars:

SNL outdid themselves on this one.

Cartoon: from Cagle.com

OGIM!

Yesterday dawn found me outside Oregon State Penitentiary.  For the first time in almost three years, one of the members of our 7th Step group there was released.  Danny went to prison a year before I did and has been there for twenty one years.  I knew him well and have watched the work he has done to change and learn to become a good citizen.  I felt proud to be the first to shake his free hand.  I spent the rest of the day helping him get done all the things he needed to do.  Needless to say, I’m worn out.  I probably should not have gone, but there is no way in hell that I was going to miss this.  I’m hoping to be back to speed by Monday.

Jig Zone Puzzle: Today it took me 3:29.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Lefty Bloggers Plus:

Players don’t forget to set your lineups for this weekends games.

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: In an interview with the National Review, Alaska GOP Senate candidate Joe Miller said that if Republicans take over in November, they might shut down the government.

He claims to have support from Bitch McConnell in this endeavor.  They have zero concern for the suffering such a move will cause.

From Bloomberg: Attorneys general in about 40 states may announce by next week a joint investigation into potentially faulty foreclosures at the largest banks and mortgage firms, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

As much as I support this move, we need a federal investigation as well.

From Right Wing Watch: I am used to seeing right-wing leaders claim that gay marriage or abortion or atheism or voting Democratic or what-have-you will destroy America … but I have never an explanation quite like the one Rick Santorum gave to World Magazine about how health care reform will destroy the US by forcing massive cuts in military spending, just like "the left" always wanted.

Frankly, we need massive reordering of military spending to transform our military from a cold war force to a 21st century force.  If that includes a cut in spending, bravo, but repairing our military from its over-deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan will be costly.  HCR will have nothing to do with it.  Santorum is lying.  That’s what Republicans do.

Cartoon: from Cagle.com

Have a great weekend!

Yesterday and last night my bronchitis was sufficiently severe keep me from sleeping.  I just woke up from a two hour nap, which is the only sleep I’ve had in 26 hours.  So this is all I have for today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me me 4:57.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From me:  I heard that Republicans now want to eliminate or reduce the minimum wage.

From me: VOTE!

Cartoon: from Cagle.com

What do you want to talk about?