Everyday Erinyes #87

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 9:32 am Politics

Aug 122017

Experts in autocracies have pointed out that it is, unfortunately, easy to slip into normalizing the tyrant, hence it is important to hang on to outrage. These incidents which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them will, I hope, help with that. Even though there are many more which I can’t include. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. These roughly translate as “unceasing,” “grudging,” and “vengeful destruction.”

In a week when “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli was convicted, if not yet sentenced, of 3 (out of 8) securities fraud charges related to overcharging on pharmaceuticals (to wit, the EpiPen), and we were reminded that the chairman of the board of his company literally said (OK, gestured) “F*** you” to America, it may not come as a surprise that Mylan is not the only corporation – um – doing that to the American people with pharmaceuticals. But it may not have made your radar that the Executive Branch of the Federal Government is actively engaged in ensuring that large sums of money not only flow to pharmaceutical dealers, but also flow right out of the country.

Knowledge Ecology International may not be the best known watchdog group in the world, but they seem to have been the only one to have caught on that the National Institutes of Health is proposing to grant the exclusive worldwide license for a new liver cancer drug to Salubris Biotherapeutics, Inc. Now, Salubris wasn’t always a Chinese holding. But it was acquired last October by Shenzen Salubris, run by the former mayor of Shenzen, billionaire Ye Chenghai, who with his famil controls 66% of the company.

Maryand’s Lieutenant Governor attended the ribbon cutting cermony of the new headquarters in May. It’s in Gaithersburg.

According to the Huffington Post, the National Institutes of Health, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, developed the treatment and registered the patents, which means this was done with taxpayers’ money.

The National Institutes of Health defended its decision in a statement to HuffPost on Wednesday, arguing “an exclusive license incentivizes companies to invest in the development of early stage … technologies so they can benefit public health.”

“NIH considers carefully when a technology should have an exclusive or non-exclusive license,” a spokesman said in the statement.

But the only one talking about this seems to be Jamie Love, the director of KEI.

“Is anyone in the White House paying any attention to these NIH patent licenses?” Jamie Love, the director of KEI, asked in an email to HuffPost on Tuesday. “The NIH wants to turn this over, life of patent, with zero agreements on the price, to Ye Chenghai, the former mayor of Shenzhen, in total secrecy as regards every important element of the license.”

Love added: “It’s time to hold hearings on the NIH licensing practices, so people have a better understanding of what is going on.”

Unfortunately, the notice filed with the Federal Register provides for just 15 days of public comments, which will neither be published nor made suject to a Freedom of Information Act request.

Almost simultaneously, Bernie Sanders in the Senate and Pete DeFazio in the House proposed

a new rule that would require federal agencies and federally funded nonprofits, such as research universities, to secure a reasonable pricing agreement from a manufacturer before granting it exclusive rights to drugs, vaccines or other health care products.

Sanders’ proposal aims to stop the Department of Defense from awarding drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur an exclusive license and $173 million in research funding to produce a Zika vaccine developed over the past year by the U.S. Army. Zika virus, a tropical, mosquito-borne disease also spread through sexual transmission, causes devastating birth defects.

The French pharmaceutical giant demanded a license that would prevent other drugmakers from competing to manufacture the vaccine at a lower cost, then refused to agree to sell the vaccine back to taxpayers at a fair price. The company has a history of charging up to eight times more for its drugs in the U.S. than in France or the United Kingdom.

Senator Angus King and Representative Marcy Kaptur are working on budget amendments aimed at stopping the DOD and NIH respectively from commiting this kind of atrocity. But these Senators and Representatives need all the help they can get. Not that I am trying to attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity, but Tisiphone, maybe you can halp.

In the Mayfair neighborhood of North Philadelphia, apparently the white supremacists can keep their cool if people of color live around the corner, just not on the same street – and they had better not park on the street that aren’t allowed to live on, either.

So we have Cottman Avenue, which, from what I can see on Google maps, is a fairly major road which has some businesses on it, running roughly from northwest to southeast. One block northeast of it is Teesdale Street – some of the time. Teesdale Street only runs two or three blocks and is residential. But six or eight blocks down, Teesdale Street picks up again and runs for another two or three blocks. Lather, rinse, repeat. Teesdale Street is where the white folks live. People of color live on Cottman, and parking is kind of tight.

So sometimes someone who lives on Cottman can’t find parking there. A few residents have found places on Teesdale at one time or another, but if they do, something happens. A note is left on their vehicle, signed KKK, telling them not to do that. Or their tires are spiked. The flat tires happened to Bernadette Waites (pictured) and to her mother. Her next-door neighbor, Lima, received the note.

“I was scared, and I was thinking, maybe they followed me or maybe they know where I live, and I don’t want to fear for my life that somebody would do something to me if I was to park around there again,” she said.

“I just want it to stop,” Lima said. “But that we’ve been living around people who have been preying on us the whole time, it’s really sad.”

So grudging, and so petty. Megaera, please.

In San Diego, there’s a woman who worked for almost ten years at the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego, CA. She was initially hired as a youth pastor, and later was promoted to Minister of Missions and Serving. But in March of this year, the church called a new Pastor to lead the congregation.

The new pastor, from Texas, pretty much immediately started sexually harassing her. I won’t go into detail, you’ve heard it all before; women who read this have experienced it all before. Except the one comment where he compared his body to a “Lamborghini that couldn’t be kept in the garage.”

OK, the comments on this story are priceless. They have compared his body to everything from a “beat-up Fiat” to, at best, a “Buick.” Everyone agrees the comparison to a Lamborghini is outrageous. However, whatever it is compared to, it is not the job of the Minister of Missions to take it out of the garage and ride with it.

But the congregation must have thought otherwise. She was first placed on administrative leave and then forced to resign. I think her attorney puts it well:

“Like many of my female clients, Minister Neldon is working in a male-dominated industry that, in many way, is no different than other employers who simply refuse to accept that discrimination is illegal in America,” said Neldon’s attorney Dan Gilleon. “It’s a shame. You’d think a business that claims moral superiority would behave better. Minister Neldon will pay a price for speaking out, as is the case for many women who blow the whistle. But, true to her word, my client is thinking of the other women out there who might benefit once it finally sinks in for employers that civil rights will be enforced in the courtroom.”

I’ve lately been emcouraging as many people as I can to read an article on how, for right wing “Christians,” a hierarchy serves them in lieu of a moral code. This story fits right in to that. And it’s, if not as old as time, certainly as old as human history. Alecto, at the very least perhaps you can give attorney Gilleon some much needed moral support.

The Furies and I will be back.

Cross posted to Care2 here.

Squatch’s Open Thread 11 August 2017

Posted by Lynn Squance at 8:21 pm Open Thread, Politics

Aug 112017

Whoever says that there is no such thing as climate change is out of their gourd! We here in Metro Vancouver have had higher temperatures than usual this summer. This follows a snowy winter that left substantial snow packs to feed the reservoirs. This has meant basic water restrictions, but nothing like last year’s stage 3 restrictions. The winter was severe for Vancouver, and a lot longer. That really gets Metro Vancouverites testy. Of course then there are the wildfires in BC’s interior which are even worse than the 2015 fires, which is saying something. There has been so much smoke that the mid afternoon sun is literally blood red. Hopefully some of the smoke will clear out this weekend. My eyes and throat sure would appreciate that. I can’t even conceive of what the 47,000 evacuees must be feeling, although that number is down to about 7,000 for now. Storms elsewhere are bigger and nastier. As a planet, we owe it to each other to get our shit together. Totally unrelated, today is my 46th anniversary of when I started in the banking industry. Thank God I am now retired!

CBC — In a federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., between 16 and 23 citizens have reportedly been meeting in secret for weeks, tasked with deciding whether to bring charges in a probe of alleged collusion between U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia.

Collectively, they’re known as a federal grand jury. And on Thursday, reporters learned they were “impanelled” — or brought together — by the all-star team of lawyers led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Activating the grand jury is a sign Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation is heating up. Equipped with this tool, Mueller can request the issuing of subpoenas for documents and testimonies.

It marks the next phase in his investigation — “the most critical phase,” according to attorney Seth Abramson, an assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire.

“That’s because it’s the phase in which he doesn’t have to rely on voluntary production of documents or voluntary testimony from important witnesses.”

Any requested documents — which could include phone records, text messages, hotel and restaurant receipts and emails — get shared with the grand jury for consideration as evidence against a target of the investigation.
Subpoenaed witnesses must appear in front of the grand jury to be questioned by first Mueller’s team then the jurors themselves. Witnesses can plead the Fifth Amendment to invoke their right against self-incrimination.

Click through for the rest of this interesting, albeit long, article about this part of the US judicial system. It may be that some know of the workings, but my guess is that many Americans do not fully understand it if knowledge of political issues are any indication. Personally, being a Canuck, I found it very interesting and it is from a trusted source, not that the CBC does not make mistakes, but Matt Kwong is thorough.

Canadian Press — Six Americans have been charged with bringing handguns across the New Brunswick border so far this summer, as a Canadian prosecutor says it’s proving difficult to let otherwise law-abiding people know they can’t bring firearms on vacation.

“The offences continue to occur with alarming frequency during the summer months,” federal prosecutor Peter Thorn said from Hampton, N.B.

Five men — three from Florida, two from New England — pleaded guilty and were fined between $1,500 and $2,000, he said.

Thorn, who has prosecuted these cases for years, said most of the people caught are “respectful and law abiding citizens of the U.S.A.” who are unaware handguns are prohibited in Canada. [emphasis mine] …

That same day, a handgun was seized from a 64-year-old Jacksonville, Fla., couple at St. Stephen. It was found, undeclared, in the woman’s suitcase, where her husband had hid it without telling her, Thorn said.

“(The woman) stated that she specifically told her husband not to bring his handgun into Canada,” said Thorn.

I bring this to you because bringing hand guns across the US northern border into Canada is a no-no! Canada is a sovereign nation and all must respect her laws. Unfortunately, this happens all across Canada. Many times, Americans driving to Alaska will bring their guns, sometimes declaring them, other times not. With heightened surveillance, Canada Border Services are catching more people. If you are caught, the weapon is confiscated and your entry into Canada is usually denied. Leave your weapons at home! It is cheaper. And husbands, always listen to your wives!

Vancouver Sun — For the first of his 111 random acts of kindness, David McCann donated three works of art worth $1,400 to a Vancouver school for them to auction, with the proceeds going toward school supplies for the students.

For his 71st such act, McCann on Friday delivered 2,000 Roger’s chocolates to the main station of the Vancouver Police Department, enough for all the officers and staff, his way of saying cheers.

“It’s a thank you for the VPD’s willingness to change over the past 50 years in how they view and deal with the Vancouver gay community,” McCann said. “In particular, how they have and continue to provide security so we can enjoy a safe and wonderful Pride celebration and parade.”

McCann pledged to carry out 111 random acts of kindness in honour and memory of his 111-year-old friend, Mary, his partner’s grandmother who died recently.

This is one of those “feel good” pieces — how one man performed 111 random acts of kindness and why.

The Intercept — If you ask Steve Bannon how he got the idea that Muslims in the Middle East are a civilizational threat to America, he will say that his eyes were first opened when he served on a Navy destroyer in the Arabian Sea. At least that’s what he told the journalist Joshua Green, whose new book about President Donald Trump’s senior counselor is a best-seller.

“It was not hard to see, as a junior officer, sitting there, that [the threat] was just going to be huge,” Bannon said. He went on:

“We’d pull into a place like Karachi, Pakistan – this is 1979, and I’ll never forget it – the British guys came on board, because they still ran the port. The city had 10 million people at the time. We’d get out there, and 8 million of them had to be below the age of fifteen. It was an eye-opener. We’d been other places like the Philippines where there was mass poverty. But it was nothing like the Middle East. It was just a complete eye-opener. It was the other end of the earth.”

That’s Bannon’s version. There are a few problems with it, however.

Read on for some of the problems that were unearthed. And this is a trusted White House senior adviser? He does not know the truth nor where he was at! I do not buy the idea that Bannon was a confused young naval officer. Tell me again why Drumpf would have him as an adviser. Oh, right — two racist peas in a pod.

Bloomberg — Mueller’s team of investigators has sent subpoenas in recent weeks from a Washington grand jury to global banks for account information and records of transactions involving Manafort and some of his companies, as well as those of a long-time business partner, Rick Gates, according to people familiar with the matter. …

As prosecutors gather many years of information about his financial affairs, Manafort could be dragged deeper into any number of legal disputes. He has a history of doing business with oligarchs and politicians in Ukraine and Russia that predates his political work for President Donald Trump, with payments routed through foreign banks and investments in U.S. real estate. …

As a practical matter, the blitz of recent subpoenas to global banks poses a challenge to Manafort’s ability to continue his day-to-day business activities as a consultant and investor, said one of the people familiar with the matter. …

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan were investigating Manafort earlier this year, examining allegations that he laundered money from eastern Europe into New York properties, according to two people familiar with the earlier inquiry. The Southern District of New York handed off their work to the special counsel’s team once Mueller was appointed, the people said.

This is a follow-up to the piece that TC wrote about on 09 August 2017 Open Thread – 8/9/2017.

If I were Manafort, I’d watch my back because the Russian oligarchs are known to not play well with others when the game gets derailed. Mueller’s investigation is broadening and the cast of characters seems to be growing. When Drumpf was asked about the raid, he said “I was surprised to see it. I’ve always found Paul Manafort to be a very decent man.” I only have one question though, or more correctly, one statement . . . I’d like to know Drumpf’s definition of “decent”. I doubt it is the same as mine.

Daily Kos — Popular vote loser Donald Trump’s sabotage of the Affordable Care Act isn’t limited to making threats and causing uncertainty for health insurers. He and his administration are taking active, destructive measures to wreck the law they were elected, and in the case of HHS Secretary Tom Price confirmed by the Senate, to uphold. The latest action by the administration is to halt federal outreach to Latinos, one of the communities that has the highest rate of uninsurance. …

That labor of love included sending cabinet members to Latino communities, translating all the materials for enrollment into Spanish, working with Latino civil rights groups like LULAC and National Council of La Raza (now called Unidos), having townhall televised on Spanish-language channels, as well as an extensive advertising campaign in all forms of Spanish-language media. As a result of all the Obama administration’s efforts, the Latino population saw the largest decline in its uninsured rate of any ethnic community. …

None of these groups has heard a peep out of the Trump administration about efforts to promote enrollments in the new plan year.

How many times have we heard Drumpf say that Obamacare was “bad” and it was “imploding”. Drumpf said that he would replace it with something better and cheaper. “You’re going to love it,” he said. The numerous attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare fell flat, and rightfully so. Imploding? This is not the case. Sure it has its faults, what plan doesn’t? But when you look at the numbers of citizens covered by medical insurance now that previously had none, I call that success. Well it looks like the Drumpf administration is going to assist in the decline of Obamacare — sabotage it — which is what I figured he’d do, one way or another. It is time to show Drumpf and the Republicans the door out!

My Universe

You know that fishing trip you went on with your dad, way back when? The cat went on his own fishing trip!

Ammosexuals on Steroids!

Posted by TomCat at 2:14 pm Politics

Aug 112017

I don’t have to tell you that Republicans are drop-dead Ammosexuals. The love their Second Amendment solutions. To them weapons are the hammer for every nail, screw, nut and bold, staple and even marshmallow. But now, Republican Senators and Representatives have become Ammosexuals on steroids, and we’d better stop them.

The U.S. Congress is on the verge of authorizing new nuclear weapons, trashing a major Reagan-era arms control agreement and putting us on the road to a new arms race with Russia. This is a huge mistake that would put U.S. and global security at risk, and proves the old saying: Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

The number of nuclear weapons in the world has declined significantly since the end of the Cold War, and we continue, slowly, to progress toward disarmament. As Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Sunday, the 72nd anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima, Japan would “firmly advance the movement toward a world without nuclear weapons.” Today, there are about 15,000 weapons left. Still far too many, but at least we are heading in the right direction.

And yet many in the Republican-controlled Congress now seem to have forgotten what got us this far: nuclear arms reduction agreements with Russia, negotiated mainly by Republican presidents. President Ronald Reagan signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987, and President George H.W. Bush signed the START Treaty in 1991. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama continued the process, most recently with the 2010 New START Treaty bringing U.S. and Russian arsenals down to levels not seen since the 1950s.

These agreements provide the “rules of the road” so arsenals can be reduced in a safe, stable and predictable way. No one wants surprises when it comes to nukes. They set equal limits on weapons, and allow for inspections so both sides can trust, and verify, the process.

Now, all of this is at risk. Republicans in both the House and Senate are promoting legislation to authorize a new nuclear-capable ground-launched cruise missile that would, if tested, violate the INF Treaty…

From <Politico>

Of course, Republicans will blame Obama. If the black man had not followed in the footsteps, of the rest, they would not need to remove the black stain from America’s nuclear policy. What is the answer? Every Republican in office is one Republican too many.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 8/11/2017

Posted by TomCat at 2:14 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 112017

It has been a frustrating day for me. Last night, I unlocked my desk to take my bedtime meds, locked it up, and went directly to bed. When I got up, I started to prepare breakfast and headed for the throne, but I could not lock my door, because the lanyard with my keys, that I wear 24/7, was not around my neck. It has to be in my room, because I had never left the room, since the last time I used it. I searched for three hours and could not find it. I finally broke down and called a locksmith to pick and re-key the lock on my desk, so I could take my meds. That’s $255 worth of ARGH! The Manager gave me the duplicate room keys and a new door FOB. To make matters worse, 89° may not be 90°, but it’s still too stinking hot! Tomorrow will be better at 80°, but it will take two or three days for the building to bleed off the heat. TGIF!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:35 (average 4:49). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Religious Ecstasy:

0812Broncos24-Bears17

The important part was the first quarter and the first half of the second, because both teams substituted liberally after that. At that point, my Broncos led 10 – 0. The Bears introduced a rookie QB named Mitch Trobiski. Watch out world! Some day that Bear will shit in the woods, and wherever else he wants!

Short Takes:

From Alternet: Stephen Colbert knows exactly where he stands on President Trump’s “fire and fury” threat toward North Korea.

“I’d like to go on the record. I do not want the Earth to blow up,” the Late Show host said. “That’s where my house is.”

He described the president’s threatening language as being akin to telling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, “Go ahead, kill everybody. I’ll kill ’em deader. Then who wins?”

I found video.

The Fuhrer needs to stop making war decisions from his golf cart. RESIST!!

From Raw Story: President Donald Trump supporter and CNN contributor Jeffrey Lord is facing accusations of promoting Nazism.

According to Media Matters, Lord published an article attacking their organization that misspelled their president, Angelo Carusone’s, last name. When Carusone pointed that out, Lord responded with a tweet that simply said “Sieg Heil!” [Nazi delinked], the infamous Nazi salute.

0811jefflord-siegheil

Will CNN ban Bannon too? Please? RESIST!!

From Mother Jones: As President Donald Trump doubles down on his aggressive efforts to locate and deport undocumented immigrants, California’s Democratic lawmakers have been drafting a bill that would put new limits on federal immigration authorities’ ability to operate in the state. If passed into law, the California Values Act would erect a legal wall between California and Trump’s immigration policies. The bill, authored by State Senate President Pro-Tempore Kevin de León, would effectively bar cooperation between federal immigration authorities and California’s local, county, and state law enforcement agencies.

Even though the state might be Californicated, this is a great idea. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

Samantha Bee from 8/9

Posted by TomCat at 1:31 pm Politics

Aug 102017

It’s that time of week again, so here are three excellent video clips from Sam’s show last night. Enjoy!!

Ladies Who Book: Steve Bannon

If McMaster opposes Bannon, my statement that maybe Mad Dog wasn’t such a bad dog after all, may have been right.

Trump’s Terrifying Judicial Appointments

It’s not just judicial appointments. Had she known about his two federal prosecutor nominees yesterday, she would have taken several more hits off that bottle.

Meet The Badass Peshmerga Women

Perhaps we could line up a few of those Peshmerga women in front of Putin’s Pervert and hope he tries to grab pussies! SPLAT!!

Had your fix?

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 8/10/2017

Posted by TomCat at 1:31 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 102017

It’s another hot sticky day, and I’m so sick of needing a shower ten minutes after the water is off, I could scream. On the plus side, if the forecasts are correct, today is the last day in the 90°s for at least two weeks.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:44 (average 3:38). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Religious Message:

After months of languishing in misery, deprived of the holy light from the Ellipsoid Orb, the blessed Orb is returning, so for me, today is a holy day. My Broncos are traveling to worship this evening with a team so indecent that they go around Bear. I shall be meditating this evening. May the holy Orb shine its light on my Broncos.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (RWW Channel): Rick Joyner Is Not Worried About North Korea Because Trump ‘Is Really Open To Words From The Lord’

Barf Bag Alert!!

The problem with Joyner’s notion that Trump is "really open to words from the Lord" is that Trump’s lord has cloven hooves and carries a pitchfork. RESIST!!

From DC Report: Donald Trump went to war Tuesday with his former campaign manager, the global influence peddler and Kremlin-friendly Paul Manafort. We know this because of the top article in today’s National Enquirer, which often acts as an attack dog for Trump and hushes up stories he wants to be kept quiet.

“Trump Advisor Sex Scandal—Paul Manafort’s Sick Affair,” the tawdry tabloid’s headline screamed. “Target in FBI-Russia probe also cheated with a woman half his age!”

Not only is Manafart under the bus, but also, for the first time in history, the National Enquirer is reporting straight news. RESIST!!

From Raw Story: Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is itching to play himself on Saturday Night Live after quitting his Trump administration job.

During his first months as press secretary, Spicer became a favorite target of the NBC live sketch show when Melissa McCarthy repeatedly lampooned the embattled White House staffer.

This week, sources told Us Weekly that Spicer is now “angling” to take a crack at showing off his own comedic skills.

“He is asking people about getting on — it was his idea!” one source told the publication.

Melissa McCarthy is a far better Shitty Spice than Shitty himself. Here’s proof.

RESIST!!

From Newsweek: A former Republican senator has suggested that Donald Trump is “sick of mind” and should be removed from office.

Gordon Humphrey told New Hampshire lawmakers in a letter that has been widely shared that they should back his bid to dump Trump.

In a letter sent to Representative Annie Kuster, Humphrey urges her to back a bill that would set up an Oversight Commission on Presidential Capacity to decide whether Trump is fit for office.

"Donald Trump is seriously sick. He is dangerous," read Humphrey’s letter, which he shared with news station WMUR on Wednesday.

Dang! It’s not very often that I find myself in complete agreement with a Republican! Unfortunately, the commission would be meaningless. Congress’ only remedy is impeachment. To declare Trump unfit, getting Pence and the majority of Federal Department Heads to agree that he is unfit, as the 25th Amendment requires, is very improbable, and only removes him temporarily. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

0810Cartoon

Confronting a Madman with Nuclear Weapons

Posted by TomCat at 12:40 pm Politics

Aug 092017

Some may think I’m talking about Kim Jong Un (R-NK). I’m not. I don’t think Kim is a madman. His rhetoric is an act for domestic consumption only. He and his repressive dynasty have survived only by keeping his people so afraid of everyone else that they don’t see their own leaders as the source of their misery. He’s not going to nuke South Korea, Japan, or the US. He knows that, if he did, he would die, and they’d bury what was left of him in a thimble. Past US leaders have understood this. But Kim is now treading of very dangerous ground. He’s confronting a madman with nuclear weapons.

President Trump threatened on Tuesday to unleash “fire and fury” against North Korea if it endangered the United States, as tensions with the isolated and impoverished nuclear-armed state escalated into perhaps the most serious foreign policy challenge yet of his administration.

In chilling language that evoked the horror of a nuclear exchange, Mr. Trump sought to deter North Korea from any actions that would put Americans at risk. But it was not clear what specifically would cross his line. Administration officials have said that a pre-emptive military strike, while a last resort, is among the options they have made available to the president.

“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Mr. Trump told reporters at his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., where he is spending much of the month on a working vacation. “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”… [emphasis added]

From <NY Times>

Rachel Maddow covered this story in two segments.

There it is. The bottom line is this. As long as the US is in thrall to a madman with nuclear weapons, pray for the world’s survival.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 8/9/2017

Posted by TomCat at 12:40 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 092017

Store to Door has delivered my groceries, and I put them away. It’s another scorcher that will probably break another record. It’s down ti 67% now, but when I got up this morning the humidity was 96%. ARGH!!! I so glad Wendy is coming this evening.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:58 (average 5:46). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (PBS Channel): Why some scientists are concerned a government climate change report won’t be released

While not all leakers are performing a service, and some, like Putin’s other pervert, Julian Assange, are threat to our nation, these leakers are patriots. They brought to light information that should be in the public domain, because it has nothing to do with national security, but Republicans want to hide it for dishonest political motives. RESIST!!

From Upworthy: With the exception of an infamous trip to see Hamilton last November and a controversy about whether it’s OK to dine with women other than his wife, we’ve heard relatively little about Vice President Mike Pence since the election. In May, CNN even ran a story with the headline, "Mike Pence’s Disappearing Act."

He’s a heartbeat away from the presidency and seems interested in following his own political ambitions beyond this administration, so what exactly has Mike Pence been up to lately? A lot, actually.

Here’s 20 things Mike Pence has done since taking office:

1. In January, Pence and others lobbied Trump to take hard-line positions on abortion, making good on some of his anti-choice campaign pledges…

2. Pence has led the charge to advance Trump’s policy agenda…

3. He’s been very vocal about supporting the use of tax dollars to fund religious schools…

4. In January, Pence met with anti-abortion activists at the White House and delivered a speech at the annual March for Life…

5. Pence spent much of February selling the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court as "mainstream."…

I’ve shared just headers from the first five things done by the man who wants to be Fuhrer of the Republican Rectum Reich. Click through for the descriptions and the other fifteen. RESIST!!

From Washington Post: FBI agents raided the Alexandria home of President Trump’s former campaign chairman late last month, using a search warrant to seize documents and other materials, according to people familiar with the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Federal agents appeared at Paul Manafort’s home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III departed the home with various records. Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort, confirmed that agents executed a warrant at one of the political consultant’s homes and that Manafort cooperated with the search.

The raid came as Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. The search warrant indicates investigators may have argued to a federal judge they had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.

I bet a dollar against a donut that the FBI found things Manafart was hiding from the Congressional committees. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

0809Cartoon

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