(Hoping to put together a “Sunday Smile”. But not only still monitoring my brother, but my aunt is in town from Illinois to celebrate her 90th Birthday! So lots, and LOTS of family stuff going on!)
May 052018
May 052018
Don Blankenship is the worst candidate ever. If Blankenship wins the Republican primary on 10 May 2018, I for one will be wondering what is in the West Virginia water . . . other than coal ash of course.
Blankenship is running for the Republican US Senate nomination in West Virginia. He’s one of the three viable GOP candidates — Rep. Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrissey are the others — in next Tuesday’s primary. And he is an unmitigated disaster.
Don’t take my word for it! Here’s Donald Trump Jr. on Blankenship: “I hate to lose. So I’m gonna go out on a limb here and ask the people of West Virginia to make a wise decision and reject Blankenship! No more fumbles like Alabama. We need to win in November.”
How has Blankenship earned his title? Let’s count the ways.
He may be the least charismatic candidate ever
Blankenship, for reasons totally unclear to me, has made the decision to run a series of ads in which he is talking directly to the camera. I am not sure what the “exact right word is for the absolute and total opposite of charisma” but I am certain its living embodiment is in Don Blankenship.
I mean, check this out:
And, if you really want to torture yourself, here are more of Blankenship’s videos. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The production values of the ads are sub-“Wayne’s World.”
Click through the CNN article for 3 more reasons why Blankenship is the worst candidate ever.
According to Wikipedia, the West Virginia Republican primary is on 10 May 2018 and at this point, it is a race between:
- Don Blankenship, former Chairman & CEO of Massey Energy[20]
- Bo Copley, coal miner[21]
- Evan Jenkins, U.S. Representative[22]
- Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General of West Virginia[23][24][25][26]
- Jack Newbrough, truck driver and Navy veteran[27]
- Tom Willis, Army veteran[28]
If Blankenship wins the Republican primary next week, Democrat Joe Manchin should have an easier time holding on to his seat. As TC says, better a DINO than a Republican, especially one like Blankenship. But West Virginia Democrats, don’t rest on your laurels. GET OUT AND VOTE like your life depends on it, because it does.
Don Blankenship has been on my radar for several years, since I first saw an article in Mother Jones about him and the coal mine disaster at the Upper Big Branch mine which killed 29 men on 05 April 2010. TC published The Empathy of Massey Energy on 18 April 2010. I published The Fall of King Coal on 05 October 2015 and some short takes as follow-up. Blankenship finally went to prison for one year, which is a crime as he should have received 30 years for the deaths of 29 men. I guess it pays to be a well connected Republican! Then Blankenship raised his ugly head again when he announced he was running for a federal Senate seat representing West Virginia. I published this article, “The Dark Lord Of Coal Country” Wants To Go To Washington. But today, part of the furor is about his racist attack on Mitch McConnell’s family and his new name for McConnell . . . Cocaine Mitch. Personally, I prefer to call McConnell “McTurtle”. I have seen two of his ads and they are abysmal. Here is a Washington Post Fact Checker video that certainly puts perspective to the Cocaine Mitch allegations . . . FOUR Pinocchios!!!
May 052018
I keep finding things of interest that I want to use in an Open Thread, but by the time I get time to put it together, it is old by my standards and the OT never comes to fruition. Well today is different. Today’s ‘My Universe’ features a different and dangerous animal in its new home.
Short Takes
Daily Kos — Kansas State legislature sent a shot across the bow of Candidate for Governor and sometimes Secretary of State Kris Kobach, telling him the state’s taxpayers would not be paying for the results of his courtroom antics.
The legislation was offered by Rep. Russ Jennings, R-Lakin. He said the move would prohibit using any state money for defense or penalties involved in a finding of a contempt of court by statewide elected officials. That would include the governor and the secretary of state.
“You pay your own bills if you get yourself in that kind of trouble,” Jennings said.
This from his own party no less. And this is how it should be! Kobach has come under fire numerous times for voter suppression and is your basic black hat Republican, evil to his political core. The free ride is over! Kobach is an example of Republican entitlement . . . feeding, or rather gorging from the public trough!
Reuters — South Korean President Moon Jae-in said U.S. President Donald Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the standoff with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme, a South Korean official said on Monday.
“President Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize. What we need is only peace,” Moon told a meeting of senior secretaries, according to a presidential Blue House official who briefed media.
Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday pledged to end hostilities between the two countries and work towards the “complete denuclearisation” of the Korean peninsula in the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade.
I would like to think the Nobel Committee would have the moral fortitude to turn down Trump’s nomination. I for one, do not believe that Trump was the impetus for the two Koreas coming together. Of course, he thinks he is and will take all the credit.
USA Today reports that 18 Republicans Congress critters have nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Click through the article for the names of the “infamous 18”.
It’s official: President Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
On Tuesday, 18 members of Congress — all Republicans — sent a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, nominating Trump to receive the award for his work to “end the Korean War, denuclearize the Korean peninsula, and bring peace to the region.”
Here’s what they wrote:
“Since taking office, President Trump has worked tirelessly to apply maximum pressure on North Korea to end its illicit weapons programs and bring peace to the region. His Administration successfully united the international community, including China, to impose one of the most successful international sanctions regimes in history. The sanctions decimated the North Korean economy and have been largely credited for bringing North Korea to the negotiating table.
The nomination comes days after the leaders of North and South Korea announced they would enter a “new era of peace” and denuclearize the peninsula, though they provided few details on how that would happen.
As it is, Trump is an insufferable narcissist. Should the Nobel Peace Prize committee support the nomination and make him a Nobel Laureate, he will be even more insufferable.
Quartz — If you’ve been paying attention to the news over the past couple of weeks or so, you know that America was introduced to the concept of “alternative facts.” After Trump administration press secretary Sean Spicer rebuked the media for accurately reporting the relatively small crowds at president Donald Trump’s inauguration, senior White House aide Kellyanne Conway told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Spicer wasn’t lying—he was simply using “alternative facts.” …
Other outlets have resisted labeling Trump’s misstatements as lies. Earlier this year, for instance, the Wall Street Journal’s editor-in-chief Gerard Baker insisted that the Wall Street Journal wouldn’t label Trump’s false statements “lies.”
Baker argued that lying requires a “deliberate intention to mislead,” which couldn’t be proven in the case of Trump. Baker’s critics pushed back, raising valid and important points about the duty of the press to report what is true.
As important as discussions about the role of the press as fact-checkers are, in this case Baker’s critics are missing the point. Baker is right. Trump isn’t lying. He’s bullshitting. And that’s an important distinction to make.
This article dates from February 2017. I found the philosophical difference between bullshitting and lying interesting, and something I had not considered previously. There has been discussion about Trump’s lies . . . are they lies or is that his reality? Based on the definitions, I agree with the author . . . Trump is a bullshitter, a dangerous bullshitter! What do you think?
My Universe
Resist the Republican Reich!!!
May 042018
Paul Lyin’ Ryan, currently Speaker of the House, soon to be unemployed, had an opportunity to finish what he started the other day. Instead, fortunately, he put his tail between his legs and, sniveling in Republican fear, backed down. That makes the score: God 1 – Ryan 0.
House Speaker Paul Ryan has accepted the un-resignation of House Chaplain Patrick Conroy, who issued the speaker a scathing letter withdrawing his previously tendered resignation.
Conroy says that he never spoke to Ryan about his resignation or termination but that his chief of staff Jonathan Burks requested that the chaplain step down. Asked why, Burks reportedly responded, "Maybe it’s time we had a chaplain that wasn’t a Catholic." Burks also reportedly mentioned a prayer Conroy led in November 2017 ahead of the tax reform vote.
The chaplain had prayed for "balanced" tax reform that helps ameliorate income inequality. The tax bill that Republicans eventually passed added more than an estimated $1 trillion to the deficit while delivering the largest gains to wealthy people and corporations…
Inserted from <Alternet>
Here is the complete transcript of Conroy’s letter.
May 3, 2018
The Honorable Paul Ryan,
Speaker, House of Representatives
H-232 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Immediate retraction of resignation as Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Dear Speaker Ryan:
As you know, by letter of April 15, 2018, I tendered my resignation of the position of Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives (hereinafter "House Chaplain") to you, effective May 24, 2018. At this time, and upon advice of counsel, I hereby retract and rescind said resignation for the reasons that follow.
I was elected as House Chaplain on May 25, 2011, and I have honorably served in that role since that time. I was re-elected House Chaplain in every succeeding Congress. I have never been disciplined, nor reprimanded, nor have I ever heard a complaint about my ministry during my time as House Chaplain. It is my desire to continue to serve as House Chaplain in this 115th United States Congress to the end of my current two-year term, and beyond,· unless my services are officially terminated (however that is properly done) or I am not re-elected to the position by the membership of the House.
While you never spoke with me in person, nor did you send me any correspondence, on Friday, April 13th, 2018, your Chief of Staff, Jonathan Burks, came to me and informed me that you were asking for my letter of resignation. I inquired as to whether or not it was "for cause," and Mr. Burks mentioned dismissively something like "maybe it’s time that we had a Chaplain that wasn’t a Catholic." He also mentioned my November prayer and an interview with the National Journal Daily.
At that point, I thought that I had little choice but to resign, as my assumption was that you had the absolute prerogative and authority to end my term as House Chaplain.
Recently, on April 27, you publicly indicated that my "pastoral services" to some Members were lacking and that I did not offer adequate "spiritual counseling" to others. This is not the reason that Mr. Burks gave me when asking for my "resignation." In fact, no such criticism has ever been leveled against me during my tenure as House Chaplain. At the very least, if it were, I could have attempted to correct such "faults." In retracting my resignation I wish to do just that.
I also write this letter because I do not wish to have my "resignation" be construed as a "constructive termination." You may wish to outright "fire" me, if you have the authority to do so, but should you wish to terminate my services, it will be without my offer of resignation, as you requested.
Since soon after I submitted my letter of April 15 I chose to remain silent about this matter despite numerous requests from the media. There has been much said in conjecture about my leaving the Chaplain’s Office, much of it damaging to the reputation of the House and the integrity of the Office of the Chaplain.
Had I known of any failure in providing my ministry to the House, I would have attempted to make the appropriate adjustments, but in no case would I have agreed to submit a letter of resignation without being given that opportunity. Therefore, I wish to serve the remainder of my term as House Chaplain, unless terminated "for cause." Please be guided accordingly and kindly provide confirmation of your recognition of this letter and my retraction of resignation no later than May 12, 2018. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Patrick J. Conroy, S.J.
Chaplain
CC: The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader
The Honorable Karen Haas, Clerk of the House Daniel G.P. Marchese, Esq.
Perhaps, if Ryan were a Christian, he would have the conviction to stand by his actions, but he’s not. He’s a Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian, so he lacked the integrity to tell Conroy to his face that he had fired him for being too Christian.
RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!
May 042018
It was a very muggy night, and I could not get to sleep, so I’m feeling very tired. TGIF!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:15 (average 5:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube (Late Show Channel): Profiles In Discourage: Blankenship’s ‘Cocaine Mitch’ Ad
Murderer Blankenship is such a jerk! Everyone knows that Bought Bitch Mitch doesn’t snort coke. He sucks Koch! RESIST!!
From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): DOJ Gets Wise To GOP Effort To Tip Off President Trump On Mueller Probe
The House Republicans, who are making these bogus demands, should all be charged with Obstruction of Justice. RESIST!!
From The New Yorker: The special counsel, Robert Mueller, is actively considering what would be the most appropriate thank-you gift to send to the former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a source close to Mueller’s team has confirmed.
According to the source, Mueller and his team were behind closed doors on Thursday morning to discuss the gift and appear to be close to a decision.
“They’ve been around and around on this, but a consensus seems to be forming on a bottle of single-malt Scotch,” the source said.
Moments after the news of Mueller’s gift to Giuliani leaked, however, Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels’s lawyer, indicated that he had already sent Giuliani a single-malt Scotch on Thursday morning and advised Mueller to select an alternative gift, such as Dom Pérignon champagne or beluga caviar.
Dang Andy! Straight News! RESIST!!
Cartoon:
May 032018
It’s that time of week again, so here are three excellent video clips from Sam’s show last night. Enjoy!
Greatest Feminists In Feminism Herstory: Sarah Sanders
All US presidential press secretaries lie, on occasion, but except for Sarah Upchuckabee Sanders, they also tell the truth, on occasion.
With Facebook, the only way to win is not to play. UNPLUG!!
Don’t Be So Sure About That Blue Wave
The question is, how there as many deplorable sub-moronic voters, like these, as it takes to win the House and Senate?
Those were good ones!
RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!
May 032018
Yesterday really wore me out. I went to sleep before 9:00 PM and slept eight hours. That happens once in a blue moon. It’s warmer today, and I’ll have to button up with the AC soon. I’m still pretty tired. I called the IRS to see if I can deduct myself, and unfortunately for Trump, there is no such thing as deductible pussy. 
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:08 (average 5:00). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Did Rudy Giuliani Just Contradict President Trump Over Why Comey Was Fired?
He also contradicted his Fuhrer by saying that Trump, aka Spanky, reimbursed Cohen for the Stormy bribe, when Trump had claimed to know nothing about the bribe. RESIST!!
From Business Insider: Investigators have warned that they will continue to pursue Cambridge Analytica despite the controversial data firm shutting down on Wednesday.
Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said it will keep investigating accusations that Cambridge Analytica scraped data from 87 million Facebook accounts and weaponised it during political campaigns, including the 2016 US election.
The ICO said it would press on even if it means going after the executives individually.
Good riddance to Cambridge Analytica, and I hope all the people responsible serve time and are stripped of all the money they made off the election theft. RESIST!!
From The New Yorker:
Donald J. Trump deleted nine tweets early Wednesday morning in a failed attempt to spell the word “subpoena,” a White House source confirmed.
According to the source, Trump spent more than an hour angrily trying to spell the legal term before giving up in disgust.
“I’ve never seen him so enraged,” the source said. “He hates the word ‘subpoena’ more than the E.P.A. hates the words ‘climate’ and ‘change.’ ”
That’s OK, Andy, as long as subpoena writers can spell "Trump!" RESIST!!
Cartoon:
Godwin’s Law – a common meme used by Republicans, other fascists, pseudo-intellectuals, and people with their heads in the sand or in smellier places, whenever anyone points out the verifiable commonalities between today’s Republican Party and Germany’s National Socialist Party.
May 022018
Compared to March, April results were down in Uniques and Visits and strongly up in every other category. It appears that less people are doing more. I certainly prefer that to pit stops.
Here is our latest summary:
|
Reported period |
Month Apr 2018 |
|
|
|
|
|
First visit |
01 Apr 2018 – 00:00 |
|
|
|
|
|
Last visit |
30 Apr 2018 – 13:22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unique visitors |
Number of visits |
Pages |
Hits |
Bandwidth |
|
Viewed traffic * |
6,112
|
26,534 (4.34 visits/visitor) |
197,950 (7.46 Pages/Visit) |
436,246 (16.44 Hits/Visit) |
24.15 GB (954.49 KB/Visit) |
|
Not viewed traffic * |
|
|
1,102,480 |
1,394,766 |
26.69 GB |
|
Reported period |
Month Apr 2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
First visit |
01 Apr 2017 – 00:01 |
|
|
|
|
|
Last visit |
30 Apr 2017 – 23:59 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unique visitors |
Number of visits |
Pages |
Hits |
Bandwidth |
|
Viewed traffic * |
9,130
|
27,885 (3.05 visits/visitor) |
82,700 (2.96 Pages/Visit) |
209,048 (7.49 Hits/Visit) |
6.67 GB (250.88 KB/Visit) |
|
Not viewed traffic * |
|
|
401,079 |
456,798 |
8.90 GB |
Compared with last April, we are down in Uniques and Visits and up in every other category.
Here is our ClustrMap for 2018 YTD. This is four months’ traffic.
ClustrMap misses a lot of visits, because many visits can’t be easily traced to a location.
Here are our top five articles:
DO NOT CONGRATULATE! 3/21/2018 2,512
Everyday Erinyes #119 4/14/2018 1,231
Everyday Erinyes #117 3/31/2018 895
A Very Strange Kind of Republican 4/25/2018 780
Trolling Trump! 4/9/2018 716
The count represents only the people who opened the page for that specific article. Three were from April. Two were from last month. Kudos to JD, who wrote the second and third. I wrote the other three. These results were excellent!
Here are our top non-blog/news referrers (100 referral minimum):
Google 3,743
Care2 3,205
Stumbleupon 598
Baidu 143
Facebook 124
Google and Care2 are up. Stumbleupon and Facebook are down. Baidu made the list again. I opted not to link back to Facebook, because their management has been acting completely like Republicans.
Here are our top blog/news referrers:
https://crooksandliars.com/
http://infidel753.blogspot.com/
http://littlewinginc.blogspot.com/
http://oakcreekforum.blogspot.com/
http://bildungblog.blogspot.com/
https://globalglassonion.blogspot.co.uk/
http://hamsandwich66.blogspot.com/
http://justanotherwillyloman.blogspot.com/
http://www.synapticstew.com/
http://www.themidnightreview.com/
http://kcecelia.blogspot.com/
We had 11 sites with 2 or more referrals, up 1 from April. Putting blogs’ links here increases the ratings of their sites, so this “linkey love” is our thank you for their referral support. We still need to improve this. I still think I need to start visiting our blog roll, which is terribly out of date.
As of midnight May 1, we had 8,164 articles and 97,850 comments.
Nobody earned a Big Mouth Award in April.
I recommend using your own avatar. Go to Gravatar. Sign up using the email address you use to post comments here and upload the image you want to use as your avatar. Whenever you comment under that email address here or on any WordPress blog (several others too), that image will become your avatar.
Your Administrators are Lynn Squance, aka Sasquatch or Squatch, SoINeedAName, aka Nameless, and I, aka TomCat, the Founder. Your Editors are Joanne Dixon, aka JD the Erynator and Lona Goudswaard, aka Lona the Napster. I promoted them from Author in August 2017 to give them the ability to add graphics to comments and the ability to correct my innumerable typos.
This is our policy on links. We do not embed links to extreme Republican websites, like Faux Noise, Breitfart or World Nut Daily. However I leave notes in square brackets when I delete such links, (example: [faux noise delinked]) so readers, who wish to follow them can click through to the source article. I also remove topical links. Finally, I blank the target on all links, so they open in a new tab or window.
We now have six months, before we will have a major opportunity to reclaim part of our nation from the monster that possesses all three branches of government. If you haven’t started working toward that end, the time to do so is yesterday.
Thank you for your support here and for all you do, everywhere you do it.
RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!
