Oct 312011
 

When 1 was 16 in 1964, a schoolmate told me the US, not the Viet Cong, was the power preventing a democratic outcome in Vietnam.  I could not dispute his facts and felt frustrated at my own ignorance.  I determined to study Vietnam and learn the truth, so the next time some damn commie lied about my country, I’d know how to answer and put him in his place!  I studied, and what I learned turned me against the war.  It appears that a scientist, formerly a climate change denier, experienced  similar paradigm shift, while studying to disprove climate change.  And the beauty of this is that the Koch Brothers funded the study!

31KochClimateA prominent physicist and skeptic of global warming spent two years trying to find out if mainstream climate scientists were wrong. In the end, he determined they were right: Temperatures really are rising rapidly.

The study of the world’s surface temperatures by Richard Muller was partially bankrolled by a foundation connected to global warming deniers. He pursued long-held skeptic theories in analyzing the data. He was spurred to action because of "Climategate," a British scandal involving hacked emails of scientists.

Yet he found that the land is 1.6 degrees warmer than in the 1950s. Those numbers from Muller, who works at the University of California, Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, match those by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA.

He said he went even further back, studying readings from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. His ultimate finding of a warming world, to be presented at a conference Monday, is no different from what mainstream climate scientists have been saying for decades.

What’s different, and why everyone from opinion columnists to "The Daily Show" is paying attention is who is behind the study.

One-quarter of the $600,000 to do the research came from the Charles Koch Foundation, whose founder is a major funder of skeptic groups and the tea party. The Koch brothers, Charles and David, run a large privately held company involved in oil and other industries, producing sizable greenhouse gas emissions… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Huffington Post>

Now, I know that Charles and David Koch have so much money that $600,000 is chump change to them, but its still poetic justice that they helped pay for this.

I have been boycotting a long list of Koch Brothers products for some time now.  I encourage you to do so too.

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Oct 312011
 

Yesterday I spent most of the day resting meditating upon the Ellipsoid Orb that was not kind to me.  I caught up on replies and am current.  Today I will be out running errands that must be completed in October.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:54 (average 5:26).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Religious Agony:

1030-Broncos10-Lions45

Short Takes:

From McClatchy DC: Growing numbers of protesters are being arrested for trespassing, failure to disperse and disobeying a lawful order, as city after city confronts the question of whether individual rights to free speech and assembly include the right to camp out on public property.

The resulting legal skirmishes have spurred the largest mobilization of pro bono protest attorneys since the anti-war movement of the 1960s and ’70s.

Kudos to those lawyers!  During the 1960s, I rarely knew their names, but I was surely thankful for their representation.

From Huffington Post: The nation’s ongoing economic downturn has sparked an odd response from a growing number of conservative and Republican leaders: a desire to blame the unfortunate and a demand for the poor to pay more.

No new taxes only applies to the 1%, although Republicans continually lie that Democrats will raise YOUR taxes.

From Crooks and Liars: OWS is Working When Even Republicans Have to Start Talking About Redistribution

 

The level of GOP BS had reached desperation.

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Oct 302011
 

Yesterday, a week in which I bit off more than I could chew caught up with me,  My COPD flared severely when I was trying to unpack and stow groceries, and a process that normally takes 2 – 3 hours took 6.  When done, I felt completely exhausted, went to sleep, and slept through my research time,  Fortunately I did the cartoon in the morning and collected a little materiel before the groceries arrived, because I feel much too weak and groggy to do more than this one item.  I have not replied to comments.  Today is a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 5:47 (average 5:09).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Reuters: President Barack Obama, seizing on a report that showed America’s rich getting richer while the rest of the country struggled to get ahead, said on Saturday that Republicans were thwarting a fairer approach.

Better late than never, but he should have announced and acted on that two years ago.

From Think Progress: Republicans accuse the left or using the politics of division.

How do you spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E-S?

From Raw Story: California Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier has announced that for a week, she will attempt to live on the same amount of money allotted to recipients of SNAP, the California food stamp program. San Francisco’s Channel 7 news reports that SNAP (which stands for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) provided $136.75 per person each month during fiscal year 2010, which breaks down to a food budget of $4.50 per day.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Ryan and Cantor counter this by trying to squeak by on a mere $million a day to show how the 1% suffer.

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Oct 292011
 

I’m back.  Thursday I went to do volunteer work in prison.  It was our group’s annual victims awareness meeting.  Two prisoners, a drunk driver, who killed a pedestrian, and a murderer who killed two people in a gang war when he was just 17, spoke about their understanding of how their crimes had harmed their victims, their victims families, themselves and their families.  Two victims, the mother of a murdered son and a woman, whose fiancée was murdered, spoke about the pain they suffered and their recovery.  The first evolved from hating all prisoners into a level of compassion, where she is now a chaplain in the local jail, helping prisoners.  The second turned to drugs for years to mask her pain, bit is putting it behind her now.  She has been clean for over 70 days.  Several other victims and about 100 prisoners attended.  The two groups mingled afterward.  As we were leaving, all the victims told me that the men had helped change their concept of prisoners for the better.  I could not be prouder of my guys.

Yesterday I rested, waited for the home services provider to come do their annual inspection of my O2 unit, did my online grocery shopping for the month, and caught up on comments.  I am now current.   Today I’ll be receiving my grocery delivery, unpacking it and putting it away, an effort that takes hours.

Congrats to the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the World Series.

Jig Zone Puzzles:

Friday’s took me 4:22 (average 4:33).  To do it, click here.  Today it took me 3:40 (average 4:59).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: Labor support for Occupy Wall Street protesters continues to grow as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka visited Zucotti Park this week, releasing a video of his visit. Trumka also responded to the use of tear gas against protesters in Oakland and the arrests of peaceful protesters in Chicago, Atlanta and elsewhere.

I’m so pleased that the times when hard-hats were about attacking demonstrators are behind us.  Go Labor!!

From Daily Kos: Wow. Gov. Jan Brewer is on the verge of going nuclear on Arizona’s redistricting commission, all because Republicans can’t believe they didn’t get a map that was perfectly gerrymandered to suit their tastes. Yes, she’s invoking the specter of impeachment.

The map they produced is badly lopsided and likely to face challenge for racist intent.  Burt even that is not enough for the Arizona Death Angel

From MoveOn: Why an I here?

The 99 Percent – Here For A Reason from Good Eye Video on Vimeo.

Good reasons all!

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Oct 272011
 

Yesterday was very busy and I’m very tired.  I’m current, although quite brief, on replies.  Today is a volunteer at the prison day.  I won’t even return home until after the time I normally wake up to finish my research and write, so if I post articles at all, they will be late.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:10 (average 5:07).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From AlterNet: Occupy Wall Street has already achieved a stunning victory – a victory that is easy to overlook, but impossible to overstate. In just one month, the protesters have shifted the national dialogue from a relentless focus on the deficit to a discussion of the real issues facing Main Street: the lack of jobs — and especially jobs with decent benefits — spiraling inequality, cash-strapped American families’ debt-loads, and the pernicious influence of money in politics that led us to this point.

This is an excellent observation.

From NY Daily News: Rick Perry knows the GOP debates have been a disaster for his campaign.

The Texas governor told Fox News on Tuesday night that it was "a mistake" to participate in the televised jousting sessions with his White House rivals.

"These debates are set up for nothing more than to tear down the candidates," Perry said during an appearance on The O’Reilly Factor. "It pretty hard to be able to sit and lay out your ideas and your concepts with a one minute response.

Pure garbage!  Perry is covering up that he’s no more qualified to debate than he is to lead this nation.  Compared to the Democratic debates in 2008, these Republican debates have been baby-league softball.

From MoveOn.org: Why Bill Maher support Occupy Wall Street.

As usual, off the wall and dead on.

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Oct 262011
 

Yesterday I did prep work for today’s and tomorrow’s meetings.  I’m current on replies.  Today is my volunteer day co-facilitating a therapy group for former prisoners.  Color me scarce for the rest of the week, please.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:18 (average 4:26).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Fantasy Football Report:

Here’s the latest from our fantasy football league, Lefty Blog Friends.

Scores

TomCat Teabag Trashers

Playing without a helmet

98.16

77.90

Progressive Underdogs

hugos renegades

93.24

88.10

Texans Will Rise Again

ManOnDogSantorum

4.00

140.22

Standings

 

 

 

 

 

 

Points

 

Rank

Team Name

W-L-T

Pct

Streak

Waiver

For

Against

1 (1)

Progressive Underdogs

6-1-0

.857

W2

6

852.44

756.90

2 (2)

ManOnDogSantorum

5-2-0

.714

W1

5

868.54

715.88

3 (3)

hugos renegades

4-3-0

.571

L1

4

815.68

763.66

4 (4)

TomCat Teabag Trashers

3-4-0

.429

W1

3

845.50

774.82

5 (5)

Playing without a helmet

3-4-0

.429

L1

2

747.68

789.08

6 (6)

Texans Will Rise Again

0-7-0

.000

L7

1

565.02

894.52

I finally won another.

Short Takes:

From MoveOn.Org: Why Occupy Wall Street

Click through to join the mailing list for videos like this.

From Washington Post: The heads of the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees say they oppose a sweeping defense bill’s policy on handling terror suspects and are urging the top Senate Democrat to take it out.

In a letter last week, Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy and Dianne Feinstein rejected a provision that would require military custody for terror suspects linked to al-Qaida and involved in an attack on the United States. Leahy and Feinstein said mandatory military custody is “unwise and will harm our national security.”

Eleven Democratic senators joined them in criticizing the provision. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has delayed work on the defense bill because of the provision, which the Obama administration opposes.

Civilians have managed custody of terrorists without incident, so I agree with Leahy, Feinstein and Obama.  I suspect that Leg Hound Harry Reid, who we need to replace as Majority Leader, has been humping Republican legs again.

From Think Progress: Politico’s Pulse flagged this story, from the Indianapolis Business Journal, of WellPoint chief financial officer Wayne DeVeydt complaining that the penalty for not obtaining health care coverage may be set too low in the Affordable Care Act. (Those without coverage pay a tax penalty [PDF]of the greater of $695 per year up to a maximum of three times that amount — $2,085 — per family or 2.5% of household income )

Of course Big Insurance wants it higher, but the penalty is not intended to force people to buy health insurance, as dishonest or misinformed opponents of the ACA claim.  Its purpose is to recover some of the cost of providing emergency care for people who do not provide for their own.  Long term the only real solution is single-payer such as Medicare for all.

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Oct 252011
 

Yesterday I did some major housework that I have been putting off because I have been so busy.  It took most of the day, and I’m pooped.  But I’m current on replies.  Today I have the prep work I planned to do yesterday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:20 (average 5:33).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Chicago Tribune: More than two dozen people in red shirts affiliated with National Nurses United stood outside Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s fifth floor City Hall office this morning chanting, “Arrest the 1 percent.”

The protest came a day after two nurses with the union were arrested in Grant Park for refusing to leave after the park’s 11 p.m. closing time. They were among more than 100 people who were arrested early Sunday morning.

The nurses, who were arrested, had set up an aid station in the park to provide for the demonstrators’ basic healthcare need.  Arresting them was legal but shameful!

From NY Times: Robert S. Ford, the American ambassador to Damascus who has emerged as an outspoken critic of Syria’s crackdown on a seven-month uprising, has left the country after receiving what American officials called threats to his safety.

The departure Saturday was the latest turn in the tumultuous tenure of Mr. Ford, whose visits to restive cities like Hama and attendance of a funeral for a slain activist made him a visible and controversial figure.

Robert Ford is a modern day populist hero, and he had been receiving threats for months.  Something more is going on here, and I’m going to guess (without proof of any kind) that this represents a major diplomatic falling out between the US and Syrian tyrant, Assad.

From Countdown: Keith’s worst persons for 10/24.

Idiots all!

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Oct 242011
 

Yesterday, worn out from laundry, I spent the day meditating on the wonders of the Ellipsoid Orb and was blessed.  I’m current on replies.  Today I’ll be doing prep for volunteer work later in the week.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:27 (average 4:32).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Religious Ecstasy:

1023-Broncos18-Dolphins15

Short Takes:

From The Daily Star: Iowa: Republicans Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann took veiled swipes at surging presidential rival Herman Cain Saturday as six of the party’s White House hopefuls courted social conservatives at an Iowa forum.

Appearing separately before about 1,000 conservative activists, the Republican candidates all pledged to protect the unborn, defend traditional marriage, limit government and bring an end to the presidency of Democrat Barack Obama.

If a Republican wins in 2012, ending Obama’s presidency will be the only promise kept.

From Washington Post: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said if the United States and Pakistan ever went to war, his country would back Islamabad, drawing a sharp rebuke Sunday from Afghan lawmakers who claimed the country’s top officials were adopting hypocritical positions.

Obama needs to realize that Karzai not a friend and not worth the life of a single troop.

From UPI: Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has taken a job as a paid contributor on Fox News, the network has confirmed.

Do you suppose he’ll do a nature series on the beauty of the Appalachian Trail? 😉

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