Politics Plus

I’m feeling much more rested after a much-needed day off.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow is a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, but the meditation between my Broncos and the Chiefs will not be televised locally.  So nobody worries, I have a medical day and two prison volunteer days next week, so my blogging will be limited at best.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:53 (average 4:46).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The Truth About Bottled Water That You’re Not Supposed To Know

Personally I use tap water and have two Britta pitchers to filter it.

From NY Times: In the weeks since President Obama’s re-election, Republicans around the country have been wondering how to proceed. Some conservatives in Texas have been asking a far more pointed question: how to secede…

…Sales of bumper stickers reading “Secede” — one for $2, or three for $5 — have increased at TexasSecede.com [InsaniTEA delinked]. In East Texas, a Republican official sent out an e-mail newsletter saying it was time for Texas and Vermont to each “go her own way in peace” and sign a free-trade agreement among the states.

A petition calling for secession that was filed by a Texas man on a White House Web site has received tens of thousands of signatures, and the Obama administration must now issue a response. And Larry Scott Kilgore, a perennial Republican candidate from Arlington, a Dallas suburb, announced that he was running for governor in 2014 and would legally change his name to Larry Secede Kilgore, with Secede in capital letters. As his Web page, secedekilgore.com [Traitor delinked], puts it: “Secession! All other issues can be dealt with later.”

Good riddance, if that is what the majority wants, but only after they reimburse the US for all federal land in and all federal improvements to the state, in addition to returning all federal property from office equipment to military hardware.

From Think Progress: Must-See Video: Science Girl Explains How Dirty Energy Causes Dirty Weather

Isn’t it amazing how just one schoolgirl is both more intelligent and more knowledgeable than the entire Republican Party?

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I’m feeling somewhat better today.  I’m current with replies, albeit in brief manner.  Tomorrow I’m feeding people in my building, who are too poor to have Thanksgiving dinner.  I’m providing all the food, and they are helping do some of the cooking, so I will have three articles at most then.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:02 (average 4:58).  To do it click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Soledad O’Brien Makes This Guy Repeat Himself Until His Bullsh_t Sounds Dumb Even To Him

While I think CNN is right-biased overall, I have to admire Soledad’s bulldog tenacity, as mush as I disrespect Republican Bullshitology.

From NY Times: In a new turn in the scandals swirling around Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper outpost, prosecutors said on Tuesday that two former top executives would be charged with paying bribes of up to $160,000 to public officials, in addition to several earlier charges against them.

The Crown Prosecution Service identified the onetime aides as Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, both of whom have had close personal or professional ties to Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr. Cameron hired Mr. Coulson as his director of communications while in opposition and kept him on after coming to power in the 2010 elections.

The Tories appear to be in bed with Murdoch’s criminal activities, as I’m sure Republicans are here. We need more investigation on this side of the pond.

From Alternet: How Vulture Capitalists Killed the Twinkie

The demise of Hostess is a story of management that boosted its own salaries, while failing to make agreed payments into workers’ pension funds.

I strongly encourage you to click through to this extensive article that explains in detail how the failure of Hostess is a textbook example of Vulture Capitalism, similar to Bain. Republicans support Vulture Capitalism by wanting less regulation of Vulture Capitalists, when more is clearly needed.

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The Republican Party was more honest back then.

I thoroughly enjoyed my meditation with the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb yesterday, but unless my place kicker scores 10 points tonight, Rob will beat me at fantasy football.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow is my monthly grocery delivery, so my articles may be late.

Jig Zone Puzzle:\

Today’s took me 3:24 (average 4:24).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Religious Ecstasy:

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: In 2012 American Ladies Sent A Message, And It Was Awesome

This is good news, but it does not go far enough.  Click through for more good news for women.

From Think Progress: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has not hesitated to voice his distaste towards U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, who may be nominated to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. On Face the Nation Sunday morning, McCain went even further than simply opposing Rice’s nomination and said that, “until we find out all the information” on the Benghazi consulate attacks, he would not support any Secretary of State nominee.

The more time passes, the more McConJob acts just like a Republican.

From TPM: They are few, but they are vocal: the pro-same sex marriage, pro-choice, pro-tax Republican activists. For years, these groups have labored off the radar, trying to convince a party unwilling to listen that it needs to moderate on issues from social to fiscal. But after the Democrats’ decisive victories on Nov. 6, the Republican Underground says its finally time to go mainstream.

While I whish these Republicans every success at reforming their party, I hope that they will come out from among them, if they fail to do do.

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