Open Thread January 30, 2023

 Posted by at 6:41 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 302023
 

Yesterday, I did get to see Virgil. It was snowing and cold – but I really had to see him because omething had gone wrong in the phone system; he had tried 3 times to call me Friday but I wasn’t able to accept ythe call and I wanted to tell him it was not I who was haning up on him. Fortunately, he didn’t think that, and I got to talk with the inmate who helps him place calls and tell him what happened. I had called the provider, and I did get an answer – frankly it didn’t make sense to me, but I shared it anyway because it’s not something I can fix, and if they are going to they need all available information – at least. I wasn’t able to finish scraping the windshield before starting out in the morning; I got the driver’s side and part of the passenger side clear, but part of it was just rock solid, despite my having turned the defrost on for over a half hour and of course kept it on while driving. I was worried about having to deal with that before leaving for home, and I was also worried, as by this time the snow had reached Pueblo and was coming down, about getting on to the interstate. But by the time I left, the rock hard ice had melted so thoroughly that a couple swipes of the windshield wipers took care of it, and when I got to the interstate there was a huge gap to get into, and just about everyone was driving slowly anyway, plus it was practically dry, both directions (I don’t know how Colorado snowstorms know to fall most heavily on residential areas and frequesntted commercial areas, and less on highways, but they do a good job of it.) So there are three more proofs of one of my favorite sayings (see right). As usual, Virgil returns all greetings. He does appreciate all of you – he knows, among other things, you are company for me, which he can’t be under the circumstances.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Washington Post (no paywall) – Justice Department asks FEC to stand down as prosecutors probe Santos
Quote – The Justice Department has asked the Federal Election Commission to hold off on any enforcement action against George Santos, the Republican congressman from New York who lied about key aspects of his biography, as prosecutors conduct a parallel criminal probe, according to two people familiar with the request…. “Basically they don’t want two sets of investigators tripping over each other,” said David M. Mason, a former FEC commissioner. “And they don’t want anything that the FEC, which is a civil agency, does to potentially complicate their criminal case.”
Click through for story – From WaPo’s keyboards to God’s iPhone.

Timothy Snyder – Thinking about… – The Specter of 2016
Quote – The reporting on this so far seems to miss the larger implications. One of them is that Trump’s historical position looks far cloudier. In 2016, Trump’s campaign manager (Manafort) was a former employee of a Russian oligarch (Deripaska), and owed money to that same Russian oligarch. And the FBI special agent (McGonigal) who was charged with investigating the Trump campaign’s Russian connections then went to work (according to the indictment) for that very same Russian oligarch (Deripaska). This is obviously very bad for Trump personally. But it is also very bad for FBI New York, for the FBI generally, and for the United States of America.
Click through for analysis. Snyder is a historian and this falls right into his special area, namely Europe. What strikes me here is that we all seem to be laboring under themistaken impression that if a responsible adult is aware that there is a problem under his or her purview, he or she will take some action. That does not appear to be the case Look at the 6-year-old school shooter – other students reported to multiple adults that he had a gun, starting early in the day. One of, I guess, the last to hear, just said, “Don’t worry, the school day’s almost over.” And then there was the entire police department in Uvalde. I understand the impulse, I really do, to mind one’s own business, but we citizens deserve better. Just because fascists want to supervise inappropriately doesn’t mean that we must fail to exercise supervision at all.

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Open Thread January 29, 2023

 Posted by at 7:14 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 292023
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was “Dialogues des Carmélites” by Poulenc. It’s based on a historical incident from the French Revolution – a group of nuns were executed for refusing to give up their faith. They went to the guillotine singing hymns. One survived and wrote a memoir, which in the 20th century was turned into a screenplay, in which the central character is not historical, so I really can’t say how far the libretto is from reality, especially as to the detail which must have really attracted Poulenc to the story – he was not only devout but a bit of a mystic. In the first act the Prioress dies, a difficult and dramatic death during which she expresses fear and agony. This seems so out of character that another novice remarks that she must have died someone else’s death, and that some day someone will have an unexpectedly easy death, because that person will die the death she would have had if she’d had her own. The main character, Blanche, responds “What nonsense you talk,” but actually, Sister Constance has nailed it, and Blanche herself is the one who will die that peaceful death. The tessitura (that’s the term for the range between high and low notes in a particular part or a song) sits in the middle for most of the characters, so that several of the roles can be sung equally well by a soprano or a mezzo soprano. The people who take part in the “Opera Quiz” intermission features, who can listen to recordings of four different people singing the same phrase and name each one accurately every time can probably tell the difference, but I can’t. For one thing, I can’t help getting caught up in the story. I defy anyone with a heart not to be moved by the last scene, when the nuns awaiting execution are singing “Salve Regina,” going to the (thankfully off stage) guillotine one by one, and every time the guillotine drops with a thud (maybe not the best word as there is a clash of metal in it) there is one less voice, until finally there is only one voice, and then silence. And after that – I felt I’d better share some good news.

Cartoon – 29 0129Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Mother Jones – To New Yorkers’ Delight, Dolphins Return to the Bronx River
Quote – “It’s true—dolphins were spotted in the Bronx River this week!,” the [New York City]parks department gleefully tweeted. “This is great news—it shows that the decades-long effort to restore the river as a healthy habitat is working. We believe these dolphins naturally found their way to the river in search of fish.”
Click through for story. Not a destination, but a step in the right direction.

PolitiZoom – Right Now, The Democrats Are Unified, And Pitch Perfect On The Debt Ceiling
Quote – And what are the Democrats doing? Smiling at each other and high fiving in the cloakroom. They’re doing it perfectly by letting Joe Biden run point. Especially effective since Biden is embarking on a multi week national tour to tout his accomplishments, and highlight the accomplishments from last year that will only start to show up this year.
Click through for details. Of course we are not going to agree all the tie over everything, because we are not mindless morons – we can think. But those disagreements don’t mean we can’t come together in order to get something done.

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Open Thread January 28, 2023

 Posted by at 6:52 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 282023
 

Yesterday, there was an unusual article picked up from Jezebel by CPR about a bear who has used a wildlife research camera to take more than 400 selfies, all very professional looking. If we humans want to stay at the top of the food chain we had better start improving our game. Also, the weather forecast indicated a possibility of snow tonight – only about one chance in four, but if it does snow, they think it will be a fair amount. I’ not holding my breath, but it is something to keep in mind. I’ll slip in a comment before I leave, and of course will comment when I get back.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Daily Beast – Inside the Democratic ‘SWAT Team’ Combating the GOP’s Biden Probes
Quote – Now, a more conspiratorial and hard-edged crop of House Republicans is sharpening their investigative knives for President Joe Biden, eyeing everything from his handling of the Department of Justice to his son’s business dealings. Determined to prevent a rerun of the Obama years, top Democrats are standing up a pair of outside groups—the Congressional Integrity Project and Facts First USA—and building them for the sole purpose of running aggressive interference for Biden on the barrage of GOP probes from Capitol Hill.
Click through for more information. I don’t know whether this is the best way to function because it hasn’t been tried before. But at least we can stop saying the Democratic party is not even trying to message.

The Daily Beast – ould a Secret Contract Halt This Tell-All Book on the Trump Probe?
Quote – The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is warning that a tell-all book about its stalled investigation into former President Donald Trump could derail the office’s probe and leave the author of the book, a former top prosecutor there, in legal jeopardy for violating a secretive nondisclosure agreement. The NDA, obtained exclusively by The Daily Beast, warns that “any work performed for the office” is “privileged and confidential.” That clause appears to directly conflict with a memoir that promises juicy details in what has so far been a failed effort to indict Trump. People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account, written by former special assistant DA Mark Pomerantz, is due to hit bookshelves on Feb. 7—and it’s being billed as a “fascinating inside account of the attempt to prosecute former president Donald Trump.”
Click through for details. Not unexpectedly, I have mixed feelings here. My desire to have all the facts of TFG’s sordid Presidency become public knowledge is tempered by my desire to see him convicted, and have those convictions (plural, ues) stick and keep him locked up permanently.

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Open Thread January 27, 2023

 Posted by at 6:57 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 272023
 

Yesterday, a quiet day.  Several of my sources are attempting to get a jump on Black History Month, whereas I am attempting to hold those stories in order to make sure I have material for the full month.  I don’t suppose that will be too much of a problem – but I am finding other things as well.

I did receive an email asking me to sign a petition to the judge in Georgia asking him to release the report of the special grand jury which just finished up.  If you should be asked to sign it, I heartily encourage you NOT to.  Georgia special grand jureies are  special.  The custom is to release the report immediately if, and only if, there are to be No Indictments.  Breaking that custom and then charging, trying, and convicting the traitors could result in mistrials.  That is what DA Wllis meant when she said releasing it could be deemed unfair to future defendants.  We have already waited too long for justice and we don’t want to mess it up now with impatience.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The 19th – Children’s mental health ranks as number one concern among parents, poll shows
Quote – Forty percent of parents with minor children said that they were “extremely” or “very” worried about their children struggling with anxiety or depression, and 36 percent reported feeling “somewhat” worried. Bullying was the second highest concern, with 35 percent of parents reporting that they are “extremely” or “very” worried and 39 percent reporting that they are somewhat worried. Mothers were more likely than fathers to express concern about most issues polled, including their children’s mental health. There were also differences along race and socioeconomic status lines.
Click through for story. I suppose this makes sense – in a way. I’ve never been a parent. But I would think worrying about a child’s mental health is getting a littl too close for comfort to a self-fulfulling prophecy.

Crooks & Liars – Surprise Sundance Documentary Did What Trump’s FBI Wouldn’t
Quote – The documentary Justice premiered at Sundance…, and yes it does bring new evidence to light that the Virgin Mayor of Keg City lied about not being a serial sexual assaulter (allegedly) AND that the FBI did not vet much/any of the 4,500 tips they received about him (allegedly).
Click through for a clip (from the review, not the movie) and a couple of additional links. This is hardly surprising, but what can be dome about it? My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that Thomas and Kavanaugh areboth vulberable, but that’s no helpful if no one has the spine to act on it. Yes, they are not the only corrupt ones, but there are reasons for leaving the others alone, at least for now. Did you ever think a day would come when just the mention of the Supreme COurt would inflict nausea? I certainly didn’t, but here we are.

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Open Thread January 26, 2023

 Posted by at 6:58 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 262023
 

Yesterday, a couple of days of sleeping late and then falling into knitting rabbit hole had put me a bit behind. So I decided to try to get abit ahead instead. did go through February and figured out what days I will need new cartoons for (and one I think I can update) and picked subject matter. i didn’t actually make anything yet, except the update, which I wanted to finsh while it was fresh in my mond, but that is still a head start. And I still managed a little knitting.  Also, yesterday was another good day to play Name Drop.  I was fortunate enough to get it on the first clue, but I can’t imagine anyone in our generation NOT getting it before the last one.

Cartoon – I see I already poseted today’s yesterday.  So, here is yesterday’s, today:

Short Takes –

Scientific American – Why Are White Men Stockpiling Guns?
Quote – The short, broad-brush answer to the first part of that question is this: men, who on average possess almost twice the number of guns female owners do. But not all men. Some groups of men are much more avid gun consumers than others. The American citizen most likely to own a gun is a white male—but not just any white guy. According to a growing number of scientific studies, the kind of man who stockpiles weapons or applies for a concealed-carry license meets a very specific profile.
Click through for description and some eye-opening stats.

Robert Reich – Five truths about the pending debt-ceiling fight that the mainstream media doesn’t want you to know
Quote – Truth #1: The fight is being waged solely by the Republican Party. The Democrats did not pick this fight. When Trump occupied the White House, Republicans voted to increase the debt limit three times without incident. Over the last quarter century, it has been raised over a dozen times. You wouldn’t know this from the way it’s being covered. Last Thursday’s [New York] Times, in an article titled “Months Before a Potential Crisis, Both Parties Kick Off a Fiscal Blame Game,” leads with the wildly false equivalence that:
Click through for more detail on #1 and for the other four. Bob is angry, and justly so.

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Open Thread January 25, 2023

 Posted by at 6:52 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 252023
 

Yesterday, though it was pretty cold, I took out some recyclables – not to the curb, just so the polycart. I hadn’t done so for a while, and I needed the space. The speed and the degree with which my hands bounced back to warm after coming back in is actually more revealing to me of just how cold it was than looking up the actual temperature. Fortunately, that’s something I don’t need to do all that often. Also, I received confirmation to see Virgil Sunday, so I guess my change in phraseology worked.

I imagine everyone has noticed that some classified documents have now been found at the home of Mike Pence. Even before that, Democratic Underground had some thoughts… (I say Democratinc Underground rather than the original poster because comments.)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Mother Jones – Can $25 Million Preserve an Alaskan Town Sinking Into the Tundra?
Quote – From a distance, not much seems amiss, but a stroll through the community, almost 500 miles west of Anchorage, reveals a myriad of health and safety problems. Climate warming has severely degraded the permafrost, so buildings are sinking into the tundra. The Ninglick River, which flows past the village, is rapidly devouring large swaths of land, taking with it buildings and homes during periods of high water.
Click through for details. The short answer is “not even close.” And you know the town did not get to thispoint from the actions of residents alone. It took a lot of bad actions from around the world to melt the tundra to this degree.

Southern Poverty Law Center – ‘Willing to Fight’: Residents rise up against development that could erase historic Florida town’s rich Black heritage
Quote – At stake is the fate of the Robert Hungerford Preparatory School property, where the leaders of Eatonville established a school in 1897 on about 300 acres. The school was modeled on Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now Tuskegee University, in Alabama. Attracting Black students from up and down the Eastern Seaboard, it was for generations the beating heart of a community where, in an era of Jim Crow and lynching, Black citizens managed to build, govern and maintain their own Black-majority town.
Click through for story. Some livability issues are climeate-related. Some are white-supremancy-related. Still others are related to greed. Somehow they all seem to be related to Republican policies, though.

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Open Thread January 24, 2023

 Posted by at 6:42 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 242023
 

Yesterday was a good day to play the New Yorker’s “Name Drop” quiz. The first two clues were obscure but suggestive – but any one of the last four would bave been a dead giveaway to me. So I would think that at least one of them would be a dead giveaway to anyone in my generation. Oddly, my cartoon today is a clue of a sort as well. I doubt whether the author knew that – if he had, he might have rescheduled it a day.  (And p.S.  – first new Randy Rainbow in 5 months in today’s video thread!)

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker – When an Anti-Abortion Activist Calls
Quote – I asked for her phone number and said I would call her right back. I dialled the number, and reached a recorded message from a movie theatre. Then I called my doctor, and he told me that anti-abortion groups pay nurses for lists of women who have had abortions, the same way diaper companies used to pay nurses for lists of women who had given birth.
Click through for story. This is a reprint. It’s from 45 years ago. But it could easily have happened yeaterday. And it’s as infuriating, to me at least, as if it did.

Wonkette – How Are We Flaunting Our ‘Qualified Immunity’ Today?
Quote – Scott County immediately and grossly retaliated with an investigation into the molested boy’s parents. Just three months after the boy’s father threatened a lawsuit, a Missouri Department of Social Services manager, Spring Cook (no apparent relation to Brandon), showed up at the family’s home. And so began the harassment campaign…. A lawyer defended the parents pro-bono, and in August 2019, the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board (CANRB) found that the charges of neglect were “unsubstantiated under a preponderance of the evidence standard.” The nightmare didn’t end here, though. The parents contend that Cook contacted the FBI, which led to a federal investigation into the charges that CANRB had dismissed.
Click through for details – it’s ugly, but shouldn’t be ignored.

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Open Thread January 23, 2023

 Posted by at 7:02 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 232023
 

Yesterday, I received an “extra” email from Steve Schmidt’s “The Warning” on Substack. This was far from the first in this category, but I funally have to say it publicly – Steve Schmidt is a sucker for woldlife. (Of course I’m cool with that, seeing as he only shoots with cameras.) Just a couple of days ago he shared some photos of ostriches. Actually, Heather Cox Richardson, Joyce Vance,and Robert Reich also use pictures, and it’s anyone’s guess what they’ll be of. Even as an unpaid, I get a feeling of getting to know them as human beings, just just as experts.

Cartoon – 23 Blackwell RTL

Short Takes –

Military dot com – 3 Active-Duty Marines Who Work in Intelligence Arrested for Alleged Participation in Jan. 6 Riot
Quote – The three Marines now join the other nine service members — active, reserve and National Guard — who have been arrested for alleged crimes stemming from Jan. 6. Two other men were booted from basic training as their investigations unfolded. According to the George Washington University’s Project on Extremism, out of the 940 defendants charged with crimes stemming from Jan. 6, 118, or 12%, have some form of military background.
Click through for story. Of course the concern here is who, if anyone, besides their superiors, has been getting information from them?

Snopes, via MSN – Was Nearly 25% of the US National Debt Incurred During Trump Administration?
Quote – An estimated $3.7 trillion of added debt during the Trump administration can be attributed to Covid-19 relief measures passed with bipartisan support. A series of tax cuts passed during the Trump administration has also added significantly to the national debt. Because the $7.8 trillion increase in the national debt incurred during the Trump Administration represents nearly 25% of the current $31 trillion national debt, the claim is “True.”
Click through for details. The answer to the question as asked is “yes.” Period. There are a few details sometimes added to the question which are shakier, but don’t get distracted. Republicans simply do not want to pay their own bills.

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