Personal – Page 648 – Politics Plus

Open Thread–9/5/2011

Posted by TomCat at 12:21 am Open Thread, Personal

Sep 052011

Yesterday was a lazy day, except for a quick trip out for staples. It was very hot, as it will be all week, but my little AC unit kept it below 85. It was still too hot to sleep much so I’m dragging by butt. I’m current on replies. Today will be more of the same.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:36 (average 5:22). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: Hillary Rodham Clinton isn’t president, but Dick Cheney says that if she were in the White House rather than Barack Obama, then things might be different today in the country.

Cheney isn’t getting into specifics, but he does think that “perhaps she might have been easier for some of us who are critics of the president to work with.”

This couldn’t be about policy, because Obama took on Clinton’s advisers, and they are already taking the lead in policy decisions. Cheney must mean that it’s because she’s white.

From Common Dreams: At least one in seven Afghan soldiers walked off the job during the first six months of this year, according to statistics compiled by NATO that show an increase in desertion.

Between January and June, more than 24,000 soldiers walked off the job, more than twice as many as in the same period last year, according to the NATO statistics. In June alone, more than 5,000 soldiers deserted, nearly 3 percent of the 170,000-strong force.

Those Afghans are leaving for a reason. They know a losing proposition, when they see it. It’s long past the time for the US recognize this and leave.

From KATU: As he [Brad Avarkian] courts Democratic primary voters to help win the Nov. 8 special election, Avakian is trumpeting solidly liberal positions on a number of issues — ideas that could play well in the Democrat-dominated Northwest Oregon district, even if they’re less popular in a Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives. Avakian wants, for instance, to immediately end the war in Afghanistan and use the money to hire many of the 14 million out-of-work Americans to build new bridges, and upgrade airports and railways.

Brad is one of the Democrats running for David Wu’s seat in Oregon’s 1st Congressional District. The more I learn, the better I like him.

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Open Thread–9/4/2011

Posted by TomCat at 12:04 am Blog News, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 042011

Yesterday I attended the draft of our Politics Plus fantasy football league, Lefty Blog Friends. We ended up with only six players, so it should be lively with lots of waiver claims. I uninstalled the editing plugin that did not work and installed a new plugin that not only allows you to edit and delete your own comments, but also gives you a rich text graphical interface and the ability to attach files. It was a hot day, but my little AC handled it, but it was still too hot to sleep. It was a slow day for news. I’m current with replies. Today I will be trying to beat the heat.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:47 (average 4:13). To do it click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From USA Today: When a reporter asked Palin what she thinks about the current GOP competitors, she answered: "Happy with the field of candidates. I always think that there’s room for more, though, because spirited debate and more competition will allow an even better discourse and more rigorous discourse that the public deserves."

Horsefeathers! She’s just trying to keep herself in the spotlight.

From San Francisco Chronicle: Earlier this week, President Obama announced that the EPA would drop efforts to bring ozone limits in line with what science says is safe. Ground ozone is the key ingredient in smog.

During the Bush administration, scientists said the safe range was 60 – 70 parts per billion. Instead, Bush set the limit at 75 ppb. The Obama administration had promised to reconsider the level, and had made rumblings of doing so until crying uncle last week. The level is still being enforced at the even more permissive 84 ppb.

I can’t begin to imagine what he was thinking. This is a horrible blunder.

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Open Thread–9/3/2011

Posted by TomCat at 12:05 am Blog News, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 032011

Yesterday I felt very tired from Wednesday’s activities and I slept until 11:00 AM. I caught up my past due email, did some volunteer paperwork, and responded to a request from Nameless. I found and installed a plugin that will allow you all to edit your own comments within 30 minutes of posting them. I’ll need your feedback, because I cannot tell how, or even if, it works, As blog administrator, I can edit any comment any time, so I don’t see the modification. I’m current on replies. Today I will be hunkering down, because we are getting another heat wave.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:47 (average 5:06). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Aljazeera: Thousands of women have gathered in Martyrs’ square in the Libyan capital of Tripoli to add their voices to the chorus of celebrations marking an end to the rule of Muammar Gaddafi.

Women have often been publically absent during the revolution, but they used the occasion on Friday evening to take part in what has been called the "million women march".

I hope this is indicative that the new government will respect women’s rights.

From Washington Independent: The first question U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta (R) received at a recent town hall meeting in Greenland, N.H., echoed sentiments freshmen House Republicans, only seven months into their first terms, are hearing across the country from their constituents: “You signed the Grover Norquist tax pledge, but you also took the oath of office. Which one takes precedence?”

Was that a marvelous question, or what?

From Common Dreams: The U.S. economy added a net total of zero jobs for the month of August, prompting new fears about a double-dip recession.

Private-sector firms added 17,000 jobs, while state and local governments continued to shed workers. The unemployment rate held steady at 9.1 percent.

The result was worse than the anemic projections that the economy would add around 75,000 jobs for the month.

Be sure to thank RepubliCorp for these blessings.

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Open Thread–9/2/2011

Posted by TomCat at 12:42 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 022011

Yesterday I spent the morning collecting data, and the afternoon paying bills and doing research. I’m current on replies. Tomorrow I plan to rest, because it will be the last temperate day, before a week of gruesome heat.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:49 (average 4:43). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Reuters: Wall Street money is heavily favoring Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the race to unseat President Barack Obama, the latest signal of business unease with Obama’s tenure and perhaps a bet on his re-election chances…

…About a quarter of the $18 million Romney raised in the second quarter came from the financial sector, while 4.4 percent of the $48 million Obama’s campaign raised came from that group, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Employees at the five biggest U.S. banks made the list of Romney’s top 20 donors, while just Goldman Sachs made it onto Obama’s contributor roll.

Banksters would lobe to have a corporate raider in the White House.

From USA Today: We have a date for President Obama’s speech on joblessness — Thursday, Sept. 8.

What we don’t have is a specific time — though we know he will be done by 8:30 p.m., which happens to be the start time for the season-opening pro football game between the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints.

"I can assure all you football fans that he will be completed before kick-off," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Hallelujah!! I understand that Boehner’s office had approved the 7th, and Agent Orange had no problem with it, until Rush Limbaugh ordered him to say no. For Republican candidates, it could have been a wonderful opportunity for all of them to contrast with Obama’s plan during their debate, but they are cowards.

From The Guardian: In a sign of his frustration at the investigations into his alleged crimes and misdemeanours, Silvio Berlusconi vowed in July to leave Italy, which he described as a "shitty country" that "sickened" him.

The Italian prime minister’s astonishing remarks are contained in the transcript of a telephone conversation secretly recorded by police investigating claims he was being blackmailed about his sex life.

I guess this makes Berlusconi Europe’s version of secessionist “patriot” Rick Perry.

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Open Thread–9/1/2011

Posted by TomCat at 1:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Sep 012011

Yesterday was my day to co-facilitate a therapy group for former prisoners. The group meets only once a month now, because they have finished the main program and have moved to aftercare. It will disband after a year, and I will probably go back to volunteering weekly with a new group. Over the two years I have worked with them, the men have really grown, and not one had their parole or probation revoked. When I returned home I slept, because I had missed much of my morning sleep time. I’m current with replies. Tomorrow I’ll spend a large part of the day collecting the data for Thursday’s monthly report.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:46 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From CRN: The U.S. Justice Department has moved to block AT&T (NYSE:T)’s proposed $39 million acquisition of T-Mobile, with a civil antitrust lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C.

In a statement, the DOJ said that the merger would lead to reduced competition, increased prices, and lower quality products and services for mobile telecommunications customers.

Even though one union is highly upset about this, because AT&T promised to expand their work force, I think the DOJ decision is wise. AT&T cannot be trusted, and every time they have taken over another carrier in the past, they have cut jobs. They have eliminated over 100,000 jobs in the past year.

From Alternet: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said US forces will leave Iraq as scheduled by year’s end, and that there will not be any permanent US bases in the country, a statement from his office said on Tuesday.

"The agreement on the withdrawal of American forces will be implemented on schedule by the end of the year, and there will not be any bases for US forces here," Maliki told Al-Ittijah TV channel in an interview to be broadcast later, it said.

This has taken far too long.

From Huffington Post: Not quite a year ago, NASA climatologist James Hansen joined hundreds of Appalachian coalfield activists, including Teri Blanton, Maria Gunnoe, Bo Webb, Larry Gibson, Mickey McCoy and Bob Kincaid at a sit-in in front of the White House, and called for the abolition of mountaintop removal mining.

In an extraordinary act of solidarity, Blanton and other Appalachian coalfield leaders will join the growing climate justice sit-in at the White House today, calling on President Obama to deny the TransCanada Keystone pipeline permit. Hansen, who has defined the pipeline decision as a litmus test for the Obama administration’s commitment to dealing with climate change, was arrested earlier this week.

Kudos! Go labor!!

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Mt Tabor as requested by Paul.

It’s the little hillock in the foreground.

Open Thread–8/31/2011

Posted by TomCat at 12:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 312011

Yesterday was another comfortable day with no AC needed. I went out to run a few errands, and upgraded the theme here, which requires specifying several custom features over again. I am current on replies. Tomorrow I’m a volunteer working with a therapy group of former prisoners.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:53 (average 4:47). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From TPM: If you’re trying to institute a new paradigm in the field of federal disaster relief, you could use a better ally than former FEMA Director Michael Brown, better known to most of you as "Heckuva Job" Brownie.

He’s the former International Arabian Horse Association Commissioner and the guy many blame for bungling the federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He’s also the first high-profile person in with experience in the field of disaster management to back the new GOP requirement that federal disaster aid be offset with federal spending cuts.

On Fox News Tuesday, Brown gave the policy his seal of approval.

Cantor is just as competent as Brownie.

From Reuters: Two top Federal Reserve officials diverged on Tuesday on the need for further action by the U.S. central bank to stimulate the flagging U.S. economic recovery, underscoring the dilemma faced by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.

Charles Evans, president of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank and a noted policy dove, said he favored strong central bank accommodation "for a substantial period of time," since the economy now looks to be moving "sideways."

But Narayana Kocherlakota, president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, speaking separately on Tuesday, stopped well short of signaling support for further easing, showing he remains firmly on the hawkish wing of the Fed’s policy-setting panel.

In short, the Fed is clueless about what to do.

From Politicususa: According to a recent Federal Appeals court ruling, Republican members of Congress who confiscate citizens’ cell phones or cameras and do not allow filming at town halls are violating their constituents First Amendment rights.

One of the ways that unpopular House Republicans have been trying to dodge the wrath of their angry constituents during the August recess is to not allow filming at their town halls. Last week, Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio directed on duty police officers to confiscate the cameras of citizens who tried to film his responses at a recent town hall. Chabot justified this behavior as necessary for the protection of his constituents, but a Federal Court ruling on Friday makes it clear that the Republicans who engaging in this behavior are violating the First Amendment rights of their constituents.

I suspect the five Injustices of SCROTUS will overrule the four Justices of SCOTUS to overturn this excellent decision.

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Open Thread–8/30/2011

Posted by TomCat at 1:26 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 302011

Yesterday the weather man was wrong. It never got hot, my little AC sat in the corner all day, and I enjoyed the comfort. I actually cooked supper in my pressure cooker, something I would never do on a hot day. I’m current on replies, and tomorrow I have errands to run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:59 (4:53 average). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Think Progress: More Republican racism from Rush.

Am I the only one thinks he was excessively drugged in this clip?

From Christian Science Monitor: Hurricane Irene and last week’s East Coast earthquake are God’s way of telling Washington that the US government needs to cut spending, Michele Bachmann said Sunday.

Now the Queen of Crazy says she was just kidding. Why is death and destruction so amusing to Republicans?

From Think Progress: During a press conference today, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) claimed that anti-gay rhetoric and opposition to marriage equality didn’t lead to the death of Waterloo, Iowa resident Marcellus Andrews, who was called a “faggot” and other anti-gay names as he was attacked by a group of yet-to-be identified assailants.

Right! Gasoline and the matches have nothing to do with arson fires either. This is another example of “Who us?”

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Open Thread–8/29/2011

Posted by TomCat at 12:38 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 292011

Yesterday remained hot, but my little AC kept it bearable, and it looks like there will be one more day, before I am comfortably cool on Tuesday. I did a few chores including a bunch of overdue paperwork. I am current with replies. Tomorrow, I will be out with errands to run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

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

Short Takes:

From Huffington Post: Governors of both parties are praising the federal response to Hurricane Irene, giving a much-needed vote of confidence to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has been struggling to regain its good name after its response to Hurricane Katrina.

This sounds a lot better than “heck of a job” Brownie. The original wearer of the tin foil, Ron Paul, took this occasion top propose doing away with FEMA.

From Think Progress: The “real” (i.e., inflation adjusted) yields on 5 and 7 year Treasury bonds continue to be in negative territory.

This is an extraordinary situation that ought to be dominating the public debate. What does it mean? Well it means that right now it’s much cheaper for the government to finance some undertaking by borrowing the money and paying for it out of taxes five or seven years from now than to pay for it with taxes. [emphasis added]

To put this in even clearer terms, because paying down the debt will be more costly in real terms than continuing to finance it, stimulating the economy with infrastructure spending makes more sense than ever before, and imposing draconian Republican cuts makes less.

From Common Dreams: Disney’s best-selling Cars toys are being made in a factory in China that uses child labor and forces staff to do three times the amount of overtime allowed by law, according to an investigation.

One worker reportedly killed herself after being repeatedly shouted at by bosses. Others cited worries over poisonous chemicals.

I urge a boycott of all Disney products until they place humanity over profit.

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