Personal – Page 607 – Politics Plus

Open Thread–8/29/2012

Posted by TomCat at 9:57 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 292012

Yesterday I went to prison to work with our CoDA group. As always, I could not have been more proud of my guys. We shared the activities section with the prison’s Native American group, so I also got to discuss Pe’ Sla with a few of them. They had not yet learned that the auction had been cancelled and were touched by the support from so many online activists. I returned late and slept very poorly, because working with my guys always leaves me hyped. This is today’s only article. I caught up on replies yesterday. Tomorrow is my last dad day for blogging. I have an appointment for an ultrasound of my bad leg on the other side of town. After that, I have no appointments until next Wednesday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:15 (average 4:53). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Why Team Romney-Ryan Will Never Measure Up To Team Obama-Biden

If Romney/Ryan win, there will be two classes in America: the 1% and the servant class.

From NY Times: It was a day late, but the Republicans’ parade of truth-twisting, distortions and plain falsehoods arrived on the podium of their national convention on Tuesday. Following in the footsteps of Mitt Romney’s campaign, rarely have so many convention speeches been based on such shaky foundations.

Only one word is low enough to describe it: Republican.

From Vice.com: Speaking of unwanted pregnancies, Tampa strip clubs and hookers are expecting big business during convention week.

Oh those GOP family values!

Cartoon: (Hat-Tip Lynn Squance)

29Cartoon

Open Thread–8/28/2012

Posted by TomCat at 8:56 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 282012

Yesterday cutting the cyst from my foot was routine. There is little enough pain that I decline anesthetic. Hours of pins and needles would be far more annoying. I received a call from my cardiologist yesterday, and I passed my echocardiogram and nuclear stress test. Good news is always welcome. Today is a prison volunteer day, and that gives me an ideal location for the Republican festivities in Tampa: far from a TV. I have this and one other article, but doubt that I can distribute links today. I am still not current with replies, but will catch up before I leave, if I can. Tomorrow is uncertain, because I will miss sleep today and return home late tonight. What I do depends on how I feel.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:02 (average 5:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: 30 Seconds After You Click This, You’ll Know The Truth About Mitt Romney And Paul Ryan

This is not news, but too many do not know it yet!

From Business Week: That maternal presence — and her experience with raising five sons — has helped her connect with average voters in a way that comes less naturally for her husband, Mitt Romney.

Her challenge today at the Republican National Convention in Tampa — her biggest stage yet — will be to humanize her husband for Americans who haven’t so far found him very likable. She needs to show that he’s more than a former private equity executive good with numbers, and that he cares about their needs.

She faces an impossible task to make that lie credible.

From YouTube: I HAVE A DREAM… MARTIN LUTHER KING – August 28 1963

49 years ago, this holds historic memories for the nation and for me.

Cartoon:

28Cartoon

Open Thread–8/27/2012

Posted by TomCat at 6:46 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 272012

Yesterday I rested and attended the First Church of the Ellipsoid Orb on TV, meditating on the meeting between My Broncos and the 49ers. The Broncos lost the preseason game, because they took their starters out in the 1st quarter, when they were leading 17-0, and the 49ers kept their starters in most of the game. This is today’s only article, because I’m going to have the podiatrist dig the cyst out of my foot. No worries. It’s a quarterly event. I am not current with replies, but will catch up ASAP. Tomorrow is a prison volunteer day, but I may be able to put up an article or two before I leave.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:45 (average 4:37). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: This Video MIGHT Stop Romney From Becoming President

This covered all the bases of the Republican scheme to take the White House.

From NY Times: The Republican ticket is flooding the airwaves with commercials that develop two themes designed to turn the presidential contest into a racially freighted resource competition pitting middle class white voters against the minority poor.

This goes right along with the birther meme from the top of the ticket.

From Reuters: Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford said on Sunday he is engaged to marry his Argentine girlfriend, Maria Belen Chapur.

Remember him? He’s walking the Appalachian trail for life, or at least for now.

Cartoon:

27Cartoon

Open Thread–8/26/2012

Posted by TomCat at 10:18 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 262012

I had another bad night from COPD, but I do have three articles today. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow I have my quarterly appointment for minor foot surgery, so it is likely I’ll have an Open Thread at most.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:37 (average 4:17). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Al Franken’s Awesome Quote On Why Republicans Are Like 4-Year-Olds

26Franken

I could not have explained this difference between nationalism and authentic patriotism better.

From NY Times: Republicans on Saturday canceled the opening day of their national convention, saying their first concern was for the safety of delegates and guests in the face of Tropical Storm Isaac, which is strengthening and is headed toward Florida’s West Coast.

Excellent! There is a God! 😉

From Business Week: On the eve of their national party conventions, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are locked in a close race to amass the requisite 270 Electoral College votes for victory. And the contest is exactly where it was at the start of the long, volatile summer: focused on seven states that are up for grabs.

Neither candidate has a significant advantage in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia, which offer a combined 85 electoral votes, according to an Associated Press analysis of public and private polls, spending on television advertising and numerous interviews with Republican and Democratic strategists in battleground states.

As a result those seven states will get almost all the attention and economic benefit from the campaigns. That’s one of the reasons I prefer a national popular vote.

Cartoon:

26Cartoon

Republicans would LOVE to repeal this one!

Open Thread–8/25/2012

Posted by TomCat at 9:29 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Aug 252012

Yesterday my COPD was severe, and I got very little sleep last night, so I have only two articles today. I may be late posting and/or distributing links, because I have a fantasy football draft this morning. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:50 (average 4:35). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Is Ayn Rand Really The Person Republicans Want To Imitate?

On the surface it seems shocking that a party so fixated on religion would so favor an atheist, but it isn’t really. Rand’s atheism does not conflict with Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christianity. They have bastardized authentic Christianity just as severely as Republican Corporate Plutocracy has bastardized authentic capitalism. They have replaced the altruism of Christ with the greed and legalism of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and traded in Jesus’ love for hate.

From NY Times: Emerging economic powers China and India are heavily investing in educating the world’s future workers while we squabble about punishing teachers and coddling children.

This week, the Center for American Progress and the Center for the Next Generation released a report entitled “The Race That Really Matters: Comparing U.S., Chinese and Indian Investments in the Next Generation Workforce.” The findings were breathtaking.

I could not do an article on this piece without taking the whole thing, which raises © issues. Click through, please.

From TPM: As he often does, Donald Trump tweeted about his ongoing conspiracy theories regarding President Obama’s birth certificate on Friday. In an awkward case of bad timing, however, it came right as Mitt Romney joked about the issue, prompting criticism from the Obama camapign [sic] over Romneys’ refusal to condemn birther supporters.

What TPM suggests was bad timing, I suggest was planned timing.

Cartoon:

25Cartoon

Open Thread–8/24/2012

Posted by TomCat at 10:12 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 242012

Yesterday I caught up on blogging, at last. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow I may be late getting everything out, because I have a fantasy football draft in the morning. Thoughts and prayers, please, for the New York City shooting victims and their families.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:48 (average 5:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Willy Wonka Has An Important Question About Paul Ryan

24Wonka

That is a subject Willard wants us to forget!

From MSNBC: Rewriting the battle for the craziest Republican

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

They all need a time out, and lets not forget Batshit B and Drill Baby Dingbat!

From Politicus USA: One may be inclined to excuse talk of rebellion as angry rhetoric from a fringe element in the tea party, but a Virginia Republican Committee newsletter [Republican extremists delinked] has called for armed revolution if President Obama is re-elected in November.

This is the kind of vile rhetoric that inspires crazies with guns to commit hate crimes.

Cartoon:

24Cartoon

Now Republicans are doing so.

Open Thread–8/23/2012

Posted by TomCat at 9:29 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 232012

Yesterday I had my cardiac stress test. I had to lie completely still in a position that was setting off my bad shoulder for two 15 – 30 minute sessions. Youch!! On the plus side, the LNP, the nurse and the two techs were all gorgeous. When they told me my heart rate had reached the desired level, I told them that the medication had absolutely nothing to do with it. I have dibs on the LNP, if she breaks up with her husband. I’m sure she meant that. ;-) I get the results next month. When I returned home I did a few hours of computer work to save time today. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow appears routine, but I still have a lot of work to do.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:53 (average 6:01). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Two Huge Reasons Sandra Fluke Supports Obamacare And Our President

23Fluke-Obamacare

But RepubliCare offers a death benefit.

From NY Times: What’s a federal agency to do? Twice in the last eight years, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued carefully vetted rules aimed at reducing air pollution that crosses state lines — the smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollutants and health-threatening sulfur dioxide that drift eastward from Midwestern power plants. And, in both cases, the agency has been shot down by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The DC court is one of the nation’s most packed with Republican ideologues for whom profit trumps survival. This shows why it is critical to return Obama with enough support to get judges confirmed.

From Boston Globe: Tropical storms and hurricanes tend to impact areas even if they don’t hit them directly. Although the storm is still several days away from any possible landfall in the United States the prognosticators and pundits are out in force with what the storm may mean for Florida and the Republican National Convention which begins Monday in Tampa.

I can’t help but remember all the stink Republicans made over Clinton getting a BJ. Although I wish only safety for Tampa’s residents, may Isaac give the Republican Party a BJ they never forget. 😉

Cartoon:

23Cartoon

These vultures are not like the nature’s valuable creatures, because these vultures would gorge off the carrion of our nation.

Open Thread–8/22/2012

Posted by TomCat at 7:10 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 222012

Yesterday I returned home late from my echocardiogram. They could not get the resolution they wanted normally, so they injected me with a solution that better reflect the sound waves. Today is my stress test. This is today’s only article. If I am able to catch up on replies before I leave, I will. Tomorrow I have several hours of computer and blog maintenance planned.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:36 (average 6:24). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The One Reagan Quote That Republicans DON’T Talk About

He may be the GOP’s St. Ronnie, but that librul couldn’t be a dog catcher in today’s Republican Party.

From NY Times: Even as the Republican establishment continued to call for Representative Todd Akin of Missouri to drop out of his Senate race because of his comments on rape and abortion, Republicans approved platform language on Tuesday calling for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion with no explicit exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

The anti-abortion plank, approved by the Republican platform committee Tuesday morning in Tampa, Fla., was similar to the planks Republicans have included in their recent party platforms, which also called for a constitutional ban on abortions. The full convention is set to vote on the party’s platform on Monday.

Romney recently claimed to support rape and incest exceptions. He lied.

From MSNBC: GOP Adds War on Voting to Party Platform

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

The fastest route to totalitarian rule is to allow one party to decide who can vote and who can’t. Kudos to the honest Republican.

Cartoon:

22Cartoon

Older Entries Newer Entries