Open Thread–6/22/2020

Posted by TomCat at 9:51 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 222020

It’s a busy day, here in the CatBox. I’m expecting a visit from the Providence doctor shortly. This is my only article today. Oh God, it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:30 (average 5:06). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump*Virus Update:

0622TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,357,323
Deaths: 122,259
Recovered: 980,367

Short Takes:

From Media Matters: In 2015, after a white supremacist gunned down nine Black worshipers in a Charleston, South Carolina, church and calls to dismantle the symbols of racism and slavery grew louder, Fox figures rallied around the Confederate flag. When state leaders, led by then-Gov. Nikki Haley, ordered the flag’s removal from public buildings, Bill O’Reilly used his Fox prime-time perch to say it “represents, to some, bravery in the Civil War because the Confederates fought hard.” Then-Fox personality Kimberly Guilfoyle speculated about whether the American flag would be next.

In 2017, when a white supremacist mowed down a crowd of protesters at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — which was spuriously organized around the city’s plan to remove a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee from a local park — the same pattern emerged. Fox figures defended President Donald Trump’s false equivalence between white supremacists and the counterprotesters [sic] at the rally. And they asked whether book burning or removing the U.S. Capitol stone by stone would come next.

Today, the Confederate battle flag and other racist monuments are back in the news. Amid continued nationwide protests over police brutality against Black Americans in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, protesters have begun toppling statues of Confederates and colonizers alike.

The Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, will defend racism as long as the racist Republican Reich exists. That’s why every Republican in office is one Republican too many! RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: Stung by the paltry turnout at his Saturday-night rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Donald J. Trump’s campaign has announced plans to hold his next rally in the bunker beneath the White House.

In announcing the rally, Brad Parscale, the chairman of Trump’s reëlection campaign, denied that the choice of venue reflected a tepid level of enthusiasm to see the candidate speak.

“The bunker holds forty people,” Parscale said. “That is a much larger seating capacity than Joe Biden’s basement.”

Despite the choice of such an intimate venue, however, Trump campaign sources are privately worried that they may have difficulty filling the bunker.

Dang, Andy! At least the Republican Reich will spread less of their Trump* virus plague that way! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–6/21/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:55 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Jun 212020

It’s a better Sunday, here in the CatBox. My Fentanyl patch has helped my pain level and reduced my use of Oxycodone considerably. Tomorrow I have a morning visit from a Providence Home Health doctor, so how much I publish will depend on how long she is here. Kudos to all Dads.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:18 (average 5:42). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0621TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,331,673
Deaths: 122,005
Recovered: 973,061

Short Takes:

From Alternet: On Friday night, Attorney General William Barr issued a statement saying that the U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffry Berman, had resigned. That was a lie. Not only had Berman not resigned, he had told Barr repeatedly that he would not resign, and had turned down other roles at the Department of Justice. So, about an hour after Barr’s statement, Berman issued a statement of his own, telling Barr to stuff it. Actually, Berman stated that he had been “appointed by the Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York” and that he would only step down “when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate.” Berman is in the middle of a number of highly sensitive investigations, including an ongoing investigation of Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani and his associates in Trump’s Ukraine scandal. So his removal clearly signals that Barr is, once again, placing Trump’s desires far ahead of such arcane ideas as justice, or the nation.

On Saturday afternoon, Barr produced a new statement. He’s given up the pretense that Berman has resigned. Instead Barr says, “I have asked the president to remove you as of today, and he has done so.” According to Barr, this makes assistant U. S. Attorney Audrey Strauss the new acting U. S. Attorney, but considering Barr’s knowledge and application of the law, odds are he’s simply lying again. Hilariously, Barr claims there’s no danger of there being an issue with ongoing cases because … the inspector general will see to that. As everyone knows, Trump and Barr just respect the hell out of inspectors general.

SDNY’s Geoffrey Berman has resigned. Perhaps he’ll have time to testify to Congress now.

Criminal Fuhrer Trump* claims that Barrf did this on his own. He claims he had nothing to do with it. One, or far more likely, both, are lying. Barrf lacks the authority to fire a US Attorney. RESIST!!

From YouTube (John Pavlovitz Channel): 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER TO SAY TO GRIEVING PEOPLE. How Our Words Can Magnify Other’s Loss

Very well said, by an Authentic Christian (the polar opposite of a Republican pseudo-Christian). I could not agree more! RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel):Facts don’t support what Trump, Pence say about coronavirus

Trump* Virus is an ongoing disaster, just like criminal Fuhrer Trump and the Republican Reich, who are making it so much worse. Here in Oregon, the most recent spike comes from a Pentecostal Church in Eastern Oregon. There Republican pseudo-Christians (the opposite of real authentic Christians) are practicing Republican guidelines on Sunday and infecting their neighbors Monday through Saturday. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): “REFLECTIONS OF MY LIFE” THE MARMALADE ~ 1969 – original recording ~ HQ AUDIO

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Personal Update–6/20/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:36 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 202020

This is my only article today as WWWendy will be here, before I publish this. I should be back in the saddle tomorrow. Have a fine weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:54 (average 4:25). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0620TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,298,108
Deaths: 121,424
Recovered: 956,077

Short Take:

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Zombies – Time Of The Season HD

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–6/19/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:34 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 192020

It’s a muggy day here in the CatBox with a projected temp in the high 80°s. Tomorrow WWWendy will be coming to help de-stink the thoroughly foul TomCat and to help do chores and prepare goop. Therefore please expect no more than a Personal Update or Open Thread from me. JD, would you please cover Bill? TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:05 (average 5:27). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0619TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,264,307
Deaths: 120,691
Recovered: 931,150

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: The city of Tulsa announced a last-minute curfew that began Thursday night and will continue Friday and Saturday, restricting people from a large area surrounding the arena where President Trump will hold his first campaign rally in months.

An executive order signed by Mayor G.T. Bynum (R) says the curfew, which begins at 10 p.m. and lifts at 6 a.m. all three nights, is intended to quell potential overnight violence as thousands intend to pour into the city to protest the president’s visit.

It’s unclear whether the Trump supporters who have camped out for days to secure a prime spot to see the president on Saturday will be cleared out as well, but some videos posted on social media appeared to show people leaving the area carrying tents and lawn chairs .

Bynum declared a “civil emergency” after law enforcement informed the mayor that “individuals from organized groups who have been involved in destructive and violent behavior in other states are planning to travel to the City of Tulsa for purposes of causing unrest in and around the rally,” the order reads.

We need to watch this very carefully. I would be very surprised, if there is no continuation of violent Republican racist false flag terrorist attacks designed to appear as the work of Blank Lives Matter and/or the non-existent Antifa. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Washington Post Channel): For DACA recipients, a sense of relief after the Supreme Court’s decision

Roberts’ decision was not pro-DACA. It was very technical and narrow, almost inviting the Republican Reich to try again without the sloppy contradictions in motive that prompted this decision. Furthermore, he did not even mention the racist intent that should have protected DACA recipients from criminal Fuhrer Trump’s* order. Let us hope that trying to steal the 2020 election will keep criminal Fuhrer Trump* too busy to try again. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride (Version 1969)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–6/18/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:49 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 182020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. Store to Door will be delivering groceries, and I need to unpack and put them away. May your goop be better than mine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:08 (average 4:45). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0618TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,235,678
Deaths: 119,955
Recovered: 918,796

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: White House staffers are seething with envy after Dr. Anthony Fauci revealed that he has not spoken to Donald J. Trump in two weeks, envious staffers have confirmed.

News of the break in communication between the two men sent shockwaves through the White House, with scores of staffers demanding to know whether Fauci had a secret trick that they could employ to similar effect.

“Two freaking weeks?” Jared Kushner was overheard muttering. “I’d settle for one hour.”

Fauci said that there was no secret to getting Trump to stop talking to him, but suggested, “Generally speaking, if you pepper your sentences with facts, that’s usually enough to do it.”

Dang Andy! I spout facts as often as Republicans spout lies, but it doesn’t mute criminal Fuhrer Trump* on my TV. I’m mad at Fauci! How does he rate? This just isn’t fair! RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Joe Biden blasts Trump’s Covid response

That is the thinking, heart, and voice of a President. Isn’t it time to flush our traitor Resident, criminal Fuhrer Trump*? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby (From “Yellow Submarine”)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–6/17/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:53 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 172020

It’s a tired day, here in the CatBox, as yesterday’s activity wore me out. My Oncologist visit went very well. I emailed a copy of my PET Scan results to a doctor, who shall remain Nameless. I trust he can explain it better than I. In short, all my tumors are smaller and considerably less intense than they were before treatment began. They could not find my liver tumors to biopsy, but it turns out that there is enough material from the original biopsy of my esophageal tumor to analyze. I misunderstood the treatment they want to do. They will analyze the mutations of my cancer cells. There are many mutagenic drugs that have been developed for cancer with different mutations, and if one of them matches mine, we can use it. If not, it’s back to the drawing board. My next appointment is on 7/7, and I’ll know then. They also prescribed 12.5 mg Fentanyl patches for pain, which I should have by the weekend. Happy Hump Day to all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:27 (average 4:53). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0617TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,209,231
Deaths: 119,158
Recovered: 903,136

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: One day after it issued decisions on L.G.B.T.Q. rights and the Second Amendment that provoked his ire, Donald J. Trump said that he would overrule the Supreme Court by creating a “Supremer Court.”

“Right now, if the Supreme Court makes a bad decision, quite frankly, you’re screwed,” he said. “The Supremer Court fixes that.”

Trump said that his Supremer Court would be a “beautiful, perfect court” that would make the Supreme Court “look like exactly what it is—a sad bunch of losers.”

Trump said that the Supremer Court would be housed in a “giant, gleaming building” overlooking the Supreme Court, enabling the Supremer Court Justices to “look down at those pathetic little Supreme Court jerks and laugh.”

Dang, Andy! Did you read Criminal Fuhrer Trump’s* mind? We know he would, if he could! RESIST!!

From Daily Kos: Last week, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied immunity to Martinsburg, WV police officers who shot a “secured” and “incapacitated” black man 22 times.

From the judicial opinion (which is well worth reading in its entirety).

In 2013, Wayne Jones, a black man experiencing homelessness, was stopped by law enforcement in Martinsburg, West Virginia for walking alongside, rather than on, the sidewalk. By the end of this encounter, Jones would be dead. Armed only with a knife tucked into his sleeve, he was tased four times, hit in the brachial plexus, kicked, and placed in a choke hold. In his final moments, he lay on the ground between a stone wall and a wall of five police officers, who collectively fired 22 bullets.

According to the Police Union and the Republican Reich, that was a sad case of suicide. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Bob Dylan – Mr. Tambourine Man (Audio)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Personal Update–6/16/2020

Posted by TomCat at 5:26 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 162020

It’s a very busy day, here at the CatBox. WWWendy and I are going tp the hospital to meet with my Oncologist, my Palliative Care team, my Nutritionist, and my Social Worker. I’ll try to check in when I return this afternoon with a “home safe” comment. Have a great day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:51 (average 5:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–6/14/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:18 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 142020

It’s a tired day, here in the CatBox. I overslept and still feel a bit groggy. Oh God, it’s Monday!

Today’s took me 6:04 (average 8:57). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0614TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 2,143,177
Deaths: 117,538
Recovered: 854,106

Recognition at Last:

Although my justly deserved peerage would never be confirmed by the Republican Reich in this country, at least the UK has given me the recognition I deserve.

LordTomCatCertificate

From now on, you may address me as Sir TomCat or Lord TomCat. Either would be purrrrfect!

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: In his latest attack on the nation’s sixteenth President, Donald Trump boasted on Saturday that his television ratings were “much higher” than Abraham Lincoln’s.

“If you put my TV ratings side by side with Lincoln’s, there’s no comparison,” Trump told Fox News. “Honest Abe would want me to be honest about it, and, honestly, his ratings were terrible.”

Trump argued that Lincoln’s television ratings were especially poor “when you consider that he didn’t have to compete with Netflix and Amazon, like I have to.”

“Abraham Lincoln had zero competition and he still couldn’t get a decent number,” Trump said. “He might have been O.K. at some other things, but he was a total loser on TV.”

Theorizing about Lincoln’s poor ratings performance, Trump mused that “it might have been the beard.”

Dang Andy! If criminal Fuhrer Trump* traded places with Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth would be a national hero. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Elizabeth Warren Channel): Elizabeth Warren On Why We Need To Rename Confederate Military Bases

Amen, Liz! Naming military bases after racist traitors, like criminal Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich, is a travesty! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Simon & Garfunkel – Mrs. Robinson (from The Concert in Central Park)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

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