Yesterday I caught up on replying to comments before going to do volunteer work at Oregon State Penitentiary.  There I spoke to around one hundred prisoners on domestic violence, how it leads to more crime, and how we are not at fault for the conditions in our childhoods and the damages they caused to our ability to lead fulfilled lives.  But the point I made is that, although we may not be at fault for our mental and emotional backgrounds, we are responsible for repairing them, because they won’t be fixed until we make an unqualified commitment to do whatever it takes to change.  That’s the short version.  In any case, I did not het home until after I normally wake up to start my nightly research, so I did just enough for this Open Thread, and barring something breaking, this will be my only article for Friday, and when it’s up, I’m dragging my exhausted butt to bed.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:23 (average 4:22).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Minneapolis Star Tribune: Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek on Thursday denied reports that he agreed to drop out of the Floridaa Senate race under pressure from former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton last week while campaigning in Florida tried to talk Meek into quitting, and the congressman agreed twice to drop out and endorse independent candidate Gov. Charlie Crist, Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna confirmed.

I disagree.  Although I’d hard time voting for him In good conscience. I think Meek should stay in the race.  Helping Crist would not be worth it, because, even if he did caucus with the Democrats, he’d be another LIEberman.  A Meek withdrawal would hurt Alex Sink’s excellent chance to win the race for Governor.  Do we really want Republicans in charge of counting Florida ballots in 2012?

From NY Times: On Thursday, a government investigation panel said that Halliburton might have played an important role in the April explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform in the Gulf of Mexico by supplying cement that the company knew was unstable to BP, which used it to seal the well. Halliburton has repeatedly blamed BP, the owner of the well, of failing to test the cement and making other errors that led to the accident, which killed 11 people and spewed millions of barrels of crude oil into the gulf.

I predicted at the time that Halliburton, that still represents the Cheney legacy, would be to blame for much of this.  But I repeat that there should be no more deep water drilling until we fully understand how it happened and how to keep it from happening again.

From Common Dreams: US companies are hoarding nearly one trillion dollars of cash that they are unlikely to use for expansion amid a muddled outlook on economic recovery, rating agency Moody’s said Wednesday.

Companies are not expanding production, because US consumers can’t afford to spend, because too few have jobs, because companies are not expanding production, because… How do you spell S-T-I-M-U-L-U-S?!!? 🙄

Cartoon:

TGIF!!

Vote!

Yesterday, volunteer work took up a major part of the day and will again today.  I managed to reply to comments and hope to do so again today, but can’t promise.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:44 (average 6:28).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Minneapolis City Pages: There’s no religious test for being a congressman. But never mind that. Tea Party Nation leader and founder Judson Phillips wants Rep. Keith Ellison thrown out of office because he’s Muslim.

The Constitution specifically state that there shall ne no religious test to hold office,  making it clear that the founding fathers intended public office to be open to members of all faiths.  Republican Brownshirts dismiss the Constitution whenever it’s conve

From Washington Post: Angle’s closing argument couldn’t be any clearer, could it? This is Brown vs. White. Latinos are coming here to take your money, your jobs, and your kids’ scholarships, and if you don’t vote for Angle, Harry Reid will let them get away with it.

Republican racism is usually cloaked under sheets and hoods.  This degree of openness about it betrays desperation.

From Right Wing Watch: The Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins tells NPR that gay teens know they are "abnormal," which makes them suicidal.

Republican Theocons always duck the consequences of their gospel of hate and say, “Who, me?”

Cartoon:

This is the last hump day of the cycle.  Don’t be humped.  Vote!

Yesterday I caught up on replying to comments before football.  I spent over an hour in Blog Talk Radio with Gwen, Jack, Oso, Beach and a couple other folks.  If you want to listen to the conversation, click the link.  It was both a privilege and a pleasure.  Today, I expect to catch up with returning visits.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:53 (average 4:57).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Extreme Religious Agony:

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff suggested Sunday that gays shouldn’t be able to openly serve in the US military because no country with openly serving gays has ever defeated the US.

Gen. Hugh Shelton told ABC’s Christiane Amanpour that it’s the servicemen in the Army and Marines that should get to decide whether or not the controversial ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy is ended.

Shelton’s argument is absurd.  To the best of my knowledge, the US has never defeated a country with openly serving gays either.  The general suggests that troops should decide what legal orders to obey.

From Blue Oregon: After less than two years in office, Jeff Merkley has shown himself willing to stand up not just to Republicans, but also members of his own party when they make unacceptable concessions to Big Oil. This week Merkley came out strong for clean energy again by joining at least two other US senators in criticizing Hillary’s Clinton suggestion that as head of the State Department she is “inclined” to approve permits for a dirty cross-border oil pipeline.

This makes me proud to have helped on his campaign.

From News Hounds: Today, on CBS’ Face The Nation, host Bob Schieffer asked guest Rove if he thinks Palin will run for president in 2012 and, if so, whether she’d be a good president. Rove responded, "I don’t know whether she’s going to run or not and if she runs, she would be a formidable candidate.

Rove dances around the issue, refusing to admit whether or not he thinks Drill Baby Dingbat could be a good President.  When will the falling out between the Neocon/Corperacon/Plutocon segments and the Theocon/InsamiTEA segments of the Republican Reich bloom?

Cartoon:

OGIM!

Yesterday I was tied up with appointments.  I expected to be done with my morning appointment by noon, but did not finish until two.  By the time I completed the rest of my errands, the day was gone, so I have an extra day of comments needing replies and visits needing returns.  I think I can manage that today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:38.  I nailed it.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Lefty Bloggers Plus:

Players, remember to set your lineups.

Short Takes:

From NY Times: After nearly three weeks of debate and a series of national strikes, the French Senate voted Friday evening to pass President Nicolas Sarkozy’s bill to raise the minimum retirement age to 62 from 60 and the age for a full pension to 67 from 65.

The vote, 177 to 153, all but seals passage of the measure.

I would not advise traveling to France in the immediate future. 🙄

From Bloomberg: A U.S. government program aimed at reviving the mortgage-backed securities market returned more than triple what stocks or bonds gained in the past year.

The eight funds created under the Public-Private Investment Program, or PPIP, reported net internal rates of return averaging 36 percent through Sept. 30, the Treasury Department said in a report this week.

Not bad.  PPIP was the Democrats’ response to Republican mismanagement of TARP, purchasing toxic assets at a discount as TARP was supposed to do, albeit much smaller, because Republicans had already given the TARP money to the banksters.

From RepubliCorp:

I love it.  Visit the site!

Cartoon:

We’re changing the day-name to Caturday!