This must be very brief. They gave me a laxative this morning. It will force me out of the chair soon.
Broncos’ bye week. 
Hugs!!
It’s gotten much worse.
Oct 252015
Oct 252015
Almost every week, Republicans join a competition to see who can say the most outlandish things, and in the process, they push the envelope on just how nutty InsaniTEA can become. I trust that you will believe it, when I tell you that last week was no exception.
1. Don’t worry, President Ben Carson would only crack down on liberal speech on college campuses.
Ben Carson, who now leads the polls in Iowa (apparently because Muslim-bashing and comparing Obamacare to slavery is wildly popular among Republican voters there), had some comforting words for his fellow conservatives this week. He will preserve their free-speech rights on college campuses, but monitor those with more left-leaning views.
Whew! That is a relief. For a minute there, we thought when he told radio host Dana Loesch he would charge the Department of Education with monitoring and punishing examples of “extreme political bias” at colleges and universities that he was going to threaten people’s First Amendment rights. But it turns out, he only means people with whom he disagrees.
“There are some who would say that it’s kind of like monitoring political speech,” Loesch said. “Do you agree with their assessment of that?”
“No, I don’t," Carson replied. “I think it’s a very big difference. But, of course, that would be the first thing that the left would claim because they want to be able to continue to do this, and it’s not appropriate for public funding to be used to indoctrinate students in one direction.”
The highly educated neurosurgeon perceives neither the irony nor the hypocrisy of this position because, apparently, he missed that day in school.
It seems to me that the Republicans have their very own scarecrow, one that is decidedly in need of a brain! Isn't it interesting how the Republicans call out Mr Obama and Democrats for not following the Constitution, yet here is a Republican presidential nominee candidate who advocates taking away first amendment rights from liberals.
This is just one of the absurdities of right wing America. To be sure, there are more than five, but publishing space is limited. Read about the other four enumerated in Alternet.
Oct 252015
Well I am still very much down with primarily a cold and aches . . . and it doesn't seem to be letting up yet, unfortunately. And yes, I am drinking lots of fluids (I can put a racehorse to shame!) and getting lots of rest (hibernating bears should be so lucky!). I take no responsibility for passing the bug through my posts!
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:04 (average 5:47). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
The Fiscal Times — If it succeeds, we will again confirm the power of money in politics, in a manner more pernicious than campaign contributions. This represents a bid to directly purchase Congressional votes. Even if we rolled back Citizens United and moved to publicly financed elections, this brazen yet constitutionally protected activity would remain a feature of our politics.
… As long as there are billionaires and greed, their money will flow through our political system, seeking a high return on investment.
This is a prime example of how the rich get richer and ordinary people pay for it.
A reminder of who the fiscal conservatives are . . . (h/t Carrie B)
Alternet — After host George Stephanopoulos quoted conservative critics, like Byron York, who claimed Clinton won the day, Fiorina countered by saying that “she did reasonably well,” but that the hearings demonstrated “that she won’t be held accountable until we have a nominee in a general election debate who will hold her accountable.”
There goes Fiorini again! . . . off in her own little bubble universe!
“I think there were a lot of Democrats on that committee who were focused on salvaging the nominee on their part,” she said.
And there were even more Republicans who were solely focused on killing Clinton's candidacy using public funds for their partisan witch hunt.
The committee consists of 12 members, 7 Republicans and 5 Democrats. That's an overpowering number of Democrats based on Fiorini's words.
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From Wikipedia
She fails to address all the investigations that did not occur to the same degree but which have greater loss of life: (just to name three)
- 9/11 attack by al Qaeda on the WTC in New York with 2,977 killed;
- Oklahoma domestic terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995 with 168 killed, 680+ wounded;
- USS Cole attack by Al Qaeda in 2000 with 17 dead, 39 wounded.
From Benghazi Article by Nameless
Benghazi does not even come close to these acts in terms of investigations by Congressional committees, nor in deaths. Yet Republicans are wasting time and money as they continue to push for something that does not exist. No disrespect is meant to Ambassador Chris Stevens and the other three who were killed at Benghazi, but where is the equivalency? What most Republicans, including Fiorini, also fail to mention are the budget cuts to security at US embassies promulgated by Congressional Republicans.
NY Times — Before an audience of mostly students in an auditorium at George Mason University, Mr. Chafee made it official in early June that he was running for president. He argued that his experience at all levels of government and his ability to work with people from different parties made him uniquely qualified for the job. However, his quirky call for a change to the metric system overshadowed his announcement. “I happened to live in Canada as they completed the process,” Mr. Chafee said that day. “Believe me, it’s easy. It doesn’t take long before 34 degrees is hot.”
Lincoln Chaffe? Now admittedly, I am a foreigner, a Canuck to be sure, and I had never heard of Chaffee. To me, it seemed he just suddenly appeared in the Democratic primary race, like a puff of smoke . . . and then he was gone. I didn't get a chance to watch the Democrats debate, what with Canada having its own debates during the now decided federal election. The NY Times reported his stance on some of the issues. In The Atlantic, reporter Molly Ball asks a simple question, "Why Did Lincoln Chafee Even Run?". In my opinion, Chafee seemed to be milquetoast. I'm not sure that Ball came to any firm conclusion other than "He was a bad candidate but a lovely guest—quiet, polite, unobtrusive."
My Universe — ALERT!!!
Oct 242015
I’m being short today, having spent the last 3 hours relying to email and working on computer problems. I feel tired. My breathing catheter is now capped during the day.
I promoted Joanne Dixon and JLA. They are now authors. I promoted Nameless and Lynn. They are now Administrators.
Please congratulate them. Hugs and thanks to all.
Oct 242015
Today I’m filling in for a fellow filler-inner, as Lynn is unfortunately felled with the flu. Me? I’m feeling fit as a fiddle … for now.
PUZZLE
I don’t do the puzzles, but Lynn was kind enough to send me the Link to today’s jigsaw. It took her 3:16, and the average is 5:19. (If I did them, my times would be measured in hours … or maybe even DAYS!) But you nimble-fingered folks can do it here …
http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/2015-10-24
SHORT TAKES
HURRICANE PATRICIA
The lead story on all the news channels this morning has been the monster storm, Hurricane Patricia. And on that front (no pun intended), there’s some good news from the Weather Channel site:
Former Hurricane Patricia was downgraded to a tropical storm Saturday morning just 13 hours after becoming the strongest hurricane ever known to make landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico.
But still there will be people in dire need of help, so here are a few reputable donation sites – and feel free to add any more you’re familiar with:
http://shelterboxusa.org/involved.php?page=113
https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation
RACHEL MADDOW INTERVIEWS HILLARY
Fresh off her 11-hour grueling marathon grilling by Trey Gowdy and his band of ___________ (since this is a family-friendly site, I’ll let YOU fill-in the blank), Hillary Clinton sat down with Rachel Maddow for a wide-ranging and informative interview last night. And it wasn’t just about the Benghazi hearing – it covered issues from the Middle East to veterans to her husband’s (“Big Dog”) record. Since WordPress doesn't permit MSNBC embeds, you can read about it AND watch it here …
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-calls-goper-impeachment-pledge-pathetic
And for those of us with hearing impairment, the transcript is here …
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/transcript-rachel-maddow-interviews-hillary-clinton
JEB BUSH – MAYBE NOT THE TITANIC YET … BUT TAKING ON WATER
We learned that Jeb!’s campaign is not doing well – in either poll numbers or raising money – so he is cutting way back … on EVERYTHING!
Bush's advisers, under pressure from their donors and from falling and stagnant poll numbers, came to the conclusion that a course correction was essential. Jeb! … cut payroll by 40 percent and … also cutting back 45 percent of its budget.
Word is out that in order to save some advertising dollars, Jeb has revamped his logo:
Jeb! becomes Jeb
And for our Spanish-speaking friends:
¡Jeb! beomces Jeb
Personally, I would have gone with one of these:
OR maybe even more apropos …
OBAMA CALLS REPUBLICANS “GRUMPY CAT”
Man, I am SOOO going miss having Pres. Obama around. Especially now that it’s clear that he just does NOT have any more “gucks to five”.
“Why is it that Republican politicians are so down on America? Have you noticed that? I mean they are, they are gloomy. They’re like Grumpy Cat,” Pres. Obama said Friday as he made a Grumpy Cat face. “Everything’s terrible according to them. ‘We’re doomed!’”
“It’s like the twilight zone and according to their story, their narrative, everything was terrific back in 2008 when unemployment was skyrocketing and uninsured rates were rising and folks were losing their homes and their jobs and we were engaged in two wars and Bin Laden was still at large,” he said. “If you were listening to them, those were like the good old days, the golden years and then I came in and the Democrats came in — but according to them, that’s when everything all went to heck.”
SAY TREY – HOW’S THAT HORSE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN BEATING? STILL DEAD?
And if you didn’t believe that the GOP is obsessed with Hillary and BENGHAZI, I think these charts will quickly disabuse you of that notion. And you can read the details at ThinkProgress.
(Sorry – forgot where I got the third one)
Since I’m just filling in for a fellow filler-inner, I have found a fitting Tag for the final fling …
So I’ll just thank Trey Gowdy et al for allowing me to close with a snapshot of Hillary sending a text to Trey following that old Proverb, “She who laughs last, laughs longest”
Oct 232015
Let’s begin by stipulating that the words “Benghazi” and “fun” should probably not appear in the same sentence. We lost four citizens who were devoted to public service, and they will be missed. And there’s no doubt that sitting through the grueling 11 hours of GOP reps asking hard questions attempting to destroy her was no fun for Hillary. But she did a stellar job!
So let’s begin our pictorial odyssey with a quiz:
Based on the picture below of Chair Trey Gowdy (Chief Investi-Hater), do you think he was covered in …
[1] Baby Oil
[2] Pam Spray
[3] Flop Sweat
Shot of the Rethuglicans on the committee Witch Hunt warming up to do battle
And when Rep. Roskam (R-IL) repeatedly and rudely commented that “I'm just giving you the courtesy of reading your notes” – Hillary, realizing she had nothing to hide, decided to return the favor and share her notes with him …
Hillary’s cool command of the facts – even when, as she noted, they didn’t fit the narrative the Repubes wanted, made me think she was channeling Pres. Obama.
It wasn’t very long before this split-screen became a good summary of the difference on how it was going for the Rethuglicans and Hillary
It was such an abysmal performance by Gowdy and his henchmen that, as the saying goes, every contest has a winner and a loser. Take a guess who’s who from this post-hearing candid photo …
The following headlines raise the only REAL lQUESTION eft …
Will Hillary have to declare the $4.7 MILLION the republicans have wasted on this Witch Hunt as a Campaign Contribution?
Let's enjoy a few more headlines …
From TIME
For posterity, we’d be remiss without visiting what a few of the MSM pundits had to say about the day:
The pointless grilling of Mrs. Clinton, who fielded a barrage of questions that have long been answered and settled, served only to embarrass the Republican lawmakers who have spent millions of dollars on a political crusade. In recent days, some prominent Republicans have even admitted as much.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/23/opinion/hillary-clinton-and-the-benghazi-gang.html
With Gowdy’s committee under fire for its motives, he and the Republican majority appeared chastened during the hearing, mostly refraining from slamming Clinton. But after 11 hours, they appeared unable to point to specific gains from the day.
http://time.com/4084578/benghazi-hearing-hillary-clinton-analysis/
The “get Hillary” committee did not get Hillary.
The House Benghazi committee — dubbed a “get Hillary” effort by Democrats who opposed its creation — brought out precious little new information and no major political missteps by the former secretary of state, who happens to be running for president.
The newslessness of the hearing was a triumph for Clinton. There was no negative sound bite from her. No acknowledgement of error. No moment of real weakness or confusion about the events that unfolded on Sept. 11-12, 2012. The hearing was, in a word, boring. And that's exactly what Clinton wanted.
When this began, conventional wisdom was that Hillary had to survive the scrutiny. That at best, this would be a wash. Toward the end, however, that wisdom changed. “Unless something happens,” wrote conservative columnist Matt Lewis on Twitter, “it’s starting to look like Hillary Clinton won’t merely survive this hearing—she will have come out on top.”
Republicans will kick themselves for dragging Hillary Clinton before the House Benghazi committee Thursday.
http://www.vox.com/2015/10/22/9600322/hillary-clinton-benghazi-hearing
So while Trey et al may still be screaming, “Benghazi! BENGHAZI!! BENGHAZI!!!” I think Hillary is saying …
Oct 232015
I got the bed. I had to set off 4 smoke alarms and render 2 nurses unconscious to do so. My kitty dingles are finally starting to heal.
I had no time in the chair yesterday. I watched Benghazi BSorama. It was horrid. Hillary and the 5 Dems performed admirably. Republicans wasted $millions of your $$$.
The week after next I may disappear for a few days. It looks like I’ll be going back to surgery to finish repairing my stump, and I’ll need to reorganize.
Fab 4, you can now email me.
Major thanks and huge hugs to all.
Oct 232015
Well, it seems that I have come down with a cold, sore throat and flu. Just getting this Open Thread done has been an exercise in "write some, sleep a lot" and repeat. I am not a happy camper. Tomorrow, Nameless will be producing the Open Thread which is so good! I'll be back on Sunday.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:52 (average 6:42). To do it, click here. Diamonds are not necessarily a girl's best friend!
Short Takes
Alternet — After Trey Gowdy called for proper decorum to be observed — then promptly broke it himself when he went directly after “Democrats” on the committee for performing a “lousy” investigation during his opening statement — ranking minority member of the House Select Committee on Benghazi Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) ripped into his Republican colleagues with an opening statement that painstakingly laid out clear evidence that this latest investigation into the attacks in Benghazi is a political charade meant to undercut Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
Hear "A visibly upset Rachel Maddow slammed House Republicans on Thursday for their handling of the Benghazi commission investigation, calling it a first for congressional probes of its kind."
Unfortunately, I can not embed the Rachel Maddow piece so you'll have to click on "Hear". She certainly shows a historical perspective, and also the Republicans for what they are . . . a partisan band of maurading thugs! And isn't it just like a Republican to 'do as I say, not as I do'.
Mother Jones — Donald Trump loves to tweet about how climate change is a hoax, especially when he personally feels cold. Because, you know, if global warming is really real, then it will never be cold anywhere ever again. (Just kidding. Winter is still a thing.)
He was at it again on Monday, tweeting that since it was "really cold outside," we "could use a big fat dose of global warming!" Sick burn, Donald!
I wonder what this bloviating blowhard would say to anyone standing beside him who dared say they were warm when he was cold? He has a total disregard for science. And I haven't even mentioned Hurricane Patricia, a category 5 storm, which is bearing down on SW Mexico with one-minute sustained winds of up to 325 kilometres an hour, the strongest on record, according to meteorological officials. Not only that, but the storm is expected to affect Texas. This from the CBC
Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen said Patricia also poses problems for Texas. Forecast models indicate that after the storm breaks up over land, remnants of its tropical moisture will likely combine with and contribute to heavy rainfall that is already soaking Texas independently of the hurricane, he said.
A flash flood watch is in effect through Sunday morning for the Dallas area, Austin and San Antonio, while a coastal flood warning was in effect through Friday night in Corpus Christi. Galveston was under a coastal flood advisory until Saturday night.
And tell us again Trump how global warming and climate change don't exist. What a putz! Please keep the people affected by this montrous hurricane in your thoughts and prayers.
The Guardian — Those hoping for a U-turn in Canada’s climate change policy after Stephen Harper’s crushing defeat are in for a reality check.
Trudeau has repudiated Harper’s vision of Canada as an “energy superpower”, promised to reverse devastating cuts to government science budgets, and fix the country’s reputation as a carbon bully in international climate negotiations.
But it would be a mistake to see Trudeau or the Liberals as climate champions. In his victory speech on Monday, there was no mention of climate change, and he was criticised for being vague on the issue during campaigning.
This from a CBC article
"I indicated to Mr. Obama that I felt it was important that Canada demonstrates a level of positive engagement on the environmental file on the international stage.
"I look forward to demonstrating that we have a Canadian government now that understands the way to build a strong economy is to protect and defend our environment at the same time."
It is hard to know exactly where Canada's new Prime Minister designate will fall on climate change. The Guardian makes one point that won't endear Trudeau to the environmental crowd, while the CBC shows a different side. It will be 'hold his feet to the fire' time.
My Universe
This is sooooooooo true!
In my house, there is a steady parade behind me. I had to give up shutting the door because otherwise, my three would make their own kitty door!