Far-out Fun for Friday 2/12/2016

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 9:44 pm Politics

Feb 112016

Our good friend SoINeedAName is otherwise occupied today, so we drew straws for who would ATTEMPT to fill in, and here I am.

I went through all my quirky stash, many of which would have fit, and got to "Worth 1000" and discovered it is closing – from my standpoint – it is moving to a new location at DesignCrowd which will be by LogIn only -and thought OMG, I may never have another chance to share it, I'd better grab it now.

The name "Worth 1000" comes, of course, from the old proverb that a picture is worth a thousand words, and the site for many years has been a place for photoshop photo-manipulation contests. I originally came to it for images of modern people and effects whimsically introduced into Old Master paintings, most of which seem to have been migrated now, but several are left.

I did find "La Ravissement de Sesame" by user "Three Prongs" from the contest "FX Best of 2008" which is highly "Old Master"

– and "Angelina" by "BrunoSousa" from "FX Best of Ren",

as well as one of five contests with a "Mona Lisa" theme. ("Captain Mona Lisa" by "underworth")

There can still be seen several "Celebrity" themed contests, such as "Celebrity Sideshow" – "Trump" here ("ToughMashinski") was only the third place!

And "Celebrity-a-palooza" which was free style, and Emma Watson makes it in as an Old Master vampire (I just can't resist the Old Masters). Creator "ThomasBerg."

Also "Celebrity Vampires" – "Dracula Clint" by "Serendipty" –

and "Celebrity Day Jobs" (some of which are scarier than the vampires, like "Dentist Slash" by "beveha"

There have been "Director's Cut contests and "Director's Mother's Cut" contests, "Pixies" and other fantasy contests, "Om Nom Nom Nom" contests (At Worth1000, the food eats YOU), and really, too many others to mention all, even all that are still linked on the main page. The "Pleasantville" contests were purely for colorization, but interesting.

"Steampunk" brings out some – um, interesting ideas. These are both by "brollius." The "Selfportrait" is from "Steampunk 5"

and the shoe from a different contest called "Pimp My Everything 3."

In politics, there is a lot of variety. "Political Drag" is just one. Here we have "Georgette W Bush" by "philcheese"

Then, "Acting Presidents" (well, they didn't specify American Presidents!) – "Poutine Sparrow" by "Serendipty" – I think it fits.

There was even a contest to say "Farewell" to the old website – I guess the new one is fully up now, but a lot can still be found at the old. Even the links worked, as far as I tried them. I used "Extinction" from the "Farewell" contest as the theme picture at the top of this post. It's by user "Serendipty."

Since this is TomCat's blog, I think it only fitting to wind up with a "Chimera with Cat" contest, the object being to create a new animal from two or more existing animals, one of which must be a cat. "Felinus Coleoptera" is by "tombarreto,"

"Gattosaurus Rex" by "DutchPuh,"

and "John" by "mzpresto." Why John? I have no idea!

The images are the property of the individual creators, although they bear the "Worth 1000" stamp, and if I left any credit out or spelled anything wrong, I apologize. I gather any to all of these and other contestants are available at the new site for gigs like designing logos.

I know we often say or think "The stupid- it burns" when we read some new cockamamie remark by some Teabagger. But I've always felt this was a site where "the creativity – it burns." In a good way. Thanks for coming on the journey, and I with everyone else do look forward to the return of SoINeedAName.

SCROTUS Is TEAbuggering Our Environment

Posted by TomCat at 11:12 am Politics

Feb 112016

Whenever we make the slightest bit of progress to benefit the American people, you can bet that the Fascist Five Republican Injustices of SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) will step in to protect corporate crime and 0.1% profit. In this case they are blocking implementation of the Clean Power Plan, a small, necessary step to reduce the effects if global climate change.

The Supreme Court’s extraordinary decision on Tuesday to temporarily block the Obama administration’s effort to combat global warming by regulating emissions from power plants was deeply disturbing on two fronts.

It raised serious questions about America’s ability to deliver on Mr. Obama’s pledge in Paris in December to sharply reduce carbon emissions, and, inevitably, about its willingness to take a leadership role on the issue.

And with all the Republican-appointed justices lining up in a 5-to-4 vote to halt the regulation before a federal appeals court could rule on it, the court also reinforced the belief among many Americans that the court is knee-deep in the partisan politics it claims to stand above. While the court’s action was not a ruling on the merits of the case, it will delay efforts to comply with the regulation and sends an ominous signal that Mr. Obama’s initiative, known as the Clean Power Plan, could ultimately be overturned.

The Clean Power Plan, announced by the Environmental Protection Agency last August, requires states to make major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from their electricity producers, which chiefly use older coal-fired power plants, over the next few years. These plants produce more carbon emissions than any other source, and cutting them is the backbone of Mr. Obama’s larger goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions over all by at least 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.

The rule is based on the Clean Air Act — which, as the court has already made clear in multiple cases, gives the federal government broad authority to regulate a range of pollutants, including carbon emissions from power plants. Mr. Obama is using that authority here. And while the plan sets out aggressive state-by-state goals, it is carefully designed to give states the time and flexibility to meet them. It’s inevitable that some, perhaps many, older coal-fired plants will close; but states can also convert to cleaner-burning natural gas, build renewable-energy sources, like wind and solar, or enter into regional “cap and trade” programs that allow them to buy and sell permits to pollute… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <NY Times>

Just to reiterate, The Supreme Court has already made it clear that the Executive branch does have the authority to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. SCROTUS will have to overturn their own overwhelming precedent to defeat the measure long term. Instead, I think this is a temporary measure designed to sabotage Obama’s foreign policy and to undermine the Paris Climate Accord. I hope our international partners will take a wait and see attitude and not abandon the Accord over this.

Open Thread–2/11/2016

Posted by TomCat at 11:12 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 112016

Although it’s a relatively light day, I do have a lot of paperwork to get done, and I want to get as much rest as I can, because tomorrow is a very busy day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:38 (average 5:45). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From The Union Leader: The New Hampshire primary lived up to tradition and winnowed a large field of candidates by another two: Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina.

The Republican presidential hopefuls quit the race Wednesday after disappointing finishes in the first-in-the-nation primary.

Good riddance to the Bankrupt Bitch, as some of her own HP employees called her, and worse riddance to…

From Alternet: Stephen Colbert congratulated Bernie Sanders on his New Hampshire landslide, and overwhelming (86 percent!) youth vote Wednesday night. "It’s like you’re puppy monkey baby," Colbert says, referencing the Super Bowl ad. "Why do you think the young ones like you?"

Even if I preferred Hillary, it would be worth supporting Bernie, just to move O’Lielly to Ireland.

From Think Progress: When 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by Cleveland police for playing with a toy gun, officers didn’t give him medical attention for four minutes. Even if they’d tried to help, the officers didn’t have a first aid kit.

Now the city is suing the Rice family for a $500 ambulance fee, two months after a grand jury decided not to indict the shooting officer.

On Wednesday, the city filed a claim against the family “for emergency medical services rendered as the decedent’s last dying expense under Ohio Revised Code.”

The Cleveland Republicans responsible for this outrage can take a long, flying you-know-what off a short pier!!!

Cartoon:

0211Cartoon

Squatch’s Open Thread 10/02/2016

Posted by Lynn Squance at 1:01 am Open Thread, Politics

Feb 112016

It turned out that my physio appointment was today, and not yesterday. That said, yesterday was still a very busy day and I was so tired that I didn't have the energy for an Open Thread. I did get to visit my mother for half an hour and sat brushing her hair. She, like me, has always liked that and found it relaxing. Today after physio, I had lunch with a friend and then spent some time reading a novel. Very relaxing!

Short Takes

Huffington Post — The majority of Canadians say they're worried if Donald Trump becomes U.S. president, according to a new poll.

The survey conducted by Leger for Montreal dailies Le Journal de Montréal and Le Devoir asked 1,524 Canadians from across the country about the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.

While Trump was among the most well-known contenders, 70 per cent of Canadians said they held a bad opinion of him. A majority of respondents — 65 per cent — said they were worried about him becoming president.

As I have said before, Canadians do not like this "Ugly American" American. I cannot call Trump "The Donald" because it feels like I am giving in to his demagoguery! If he becomes POTUS, I may build the wall along the 49th parallel myself just to keep that rabid fascist at bay.

Five Thirty Eight — Chris Christie’s 2016 presidential campaign had one shining moment: thetripwire he set for Marco Rubio in Saturday’s debate (which Rubio somehow tripped over again and again and again and again). …

Christie otherwise made very little headway in the Republican race, and he ended his campaign Wednesday after receiving just 7 percent of the vote in New Hampshire.

Mr Christie, your cookies crumbled . . . thankfully!

Five Thirty Eight — Carly Fiorina dropped out of the presidential race this afternoon, via Facebook message, a day after her seventh-place finish, with just 4 percent of the vote, in the New Hampshire primary. …

But heading into the late fall, winter and the voting contests of 2016, Fiorina had all but disappeared from the conversation. Her ground game was virtually non-existent;…

In her FB post announcing the suspension of her campaign, Mother Jones reports that Fiorina said:

This campaign was always about citizenship—taking back our country from a political class that only serves the big, the powerful, the wealthy, and the well connected. …

Our Republican Party must fight alongside these Americans as well. We must end crony capitalism by fighting the policies that allow it to flourish. …

Republicans must stand for conservative principles that lift people up and recognize all Americans have the right to fulfill their God-given potential.

I like to know, what has this Republican been smoking?

"taking back our country from a political class that only serves the big, the powerful, the wealthy…" — Isn't that the definition of a Republican and the party!
"We must end crony capitalism…" — Didn't Republicans "invent" crony capitalism?
"conservative principles that lift people up … " — Republicans are noteworthy for tearing down anything that serves the average American.

My personal opinion, Fiorina is a whack job that had no business even being in the race. I imagine there are some Hewlett Packard employees and investors that are glad she's out of the race.

Mother Jones — On Wednesday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that the Justice Department was filing a lawsuit against Ferguson one day after the city council rejected a proposed settlement that sought to "remedy literally years of systematic deficiencies." The Justice Department spent more than six months negotiating a settlement with local officials after it identified widespread civil rights violations and racial discrimination in the Ferguson Police Department's stops, searches, and arrests. It also alleges that local court proceedings violated the due process of residents. The city council's rejection of the agreement, Lynch said, "leaves us no further choice." …

…the residents of Ferguson have suffered the deprivation of their constitutional rights – the rights guaranteed to all Americans – for decades.

Conservative intransigence! When will they learn?

My Universe —

"Something on my face? What are you even talking about?"

Bernie Wins!

Posted by TomCat at 2:05 pm Politics

Feb 102016

I bet you didn’t know, right? You did?!!? Dang!! And I thought it was a surprise, based on Hillary’s victorious concession speech. One might think she won. In a very funny way, she did, but first let’s celebrate Bernie’s win! We were hoping for a spread in the teens, but Bernie pulled off a virtual landslide. a twenty-one point spread!

New Hampshire resoundingly rejected the two major party’s mainstream candidates in its presidential primary Tuesday, with Bernie Sanders decisively beating Hillary Clinton on the Democratic ticket and Donald Trump overwhelming a pack of governors and U.S. senators who cannot seem to stop him.

Sanders’ 21-point victory over Clinton, though not unexpected after surging in recent polls, was a monumental achievement for a candidate who started out with less than 5 percent of the vote (trailing by 44 percent at one point last year) and calling for a revolution to fundamentally address economic and political inequality.

“We won because we harnessed the energy and the excitement that the Democratic Party will need to succeed in November,” Sanders said. “What the people here have said is that given the enormous crises facing our country, it is just too late for the same old, same old establishment politics and establishment economics: the people want real change.”…

Inserted from <Alternet>

Here is the complete video of Bernie’s victory speech.

If you prefer, click here for a transcript of Bernie’s victory speech.

Here’s the reason Hillary is not down over her loss. She is taking more delegates from NH than Bernie is, in spite of Bernie’s landslide. The problem is that the Democratic Party has 712 Super Delegates, from the party establishment, They are not required to follow the will of the voters in their states. Here is how they are effecting the delegate count so far.

	Bernie Delegates			Hillary Delegates
	Voted	Super	Total	Voted	Super	Total
Iowa	21	0	21	23	6	29
New Hampshire	13	0	13	9	6	15
Totals	34	0	34	32	12	44

If that isn’t bad enough, this is Wikipedia’s analysis of Super Delegates.

Candidate	Distinguished party leaders	Governors	Senators	Representatives	DNC members	Totals
Hillary Clinton	8	13	39	157	138	355
Bernie Sanders	1	0	1	2	10	14
Martin O’Malley	0	0	0	1	1	2
Uncommitted	11	7	7	33	283	341
Totals	20	20	47	193	432	712

Click through to find out who they are in your state.

I have no objection to Super Delegates committing to Hillary, as long as they reflect the will of their states’ voters. But for any candidate to take away two more of a state’s delegates that the candidate who won that state’s primary by twenty-one points is anti-democratic and obscene. All delegates must be required to follow the will of the voters.

Congrats to Bernie!

Open Thread–2/10/2016

Posted by TomCat at 2:04 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 102016

I’m running late, because I had several tasks to complete this morning, leaving little time to write. I’m also waiting for a grocery order to arrive and have to put those items away.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:06 (average 5:55). To do it click here. How did you do?\

Short Takes:

From NY Times: By law, dating back to 1921, the president of the United States must submit an annual budget request to Congress. On Tuesday, President Obama submitted his eighth and final budget. And like all presidential budgets, it is a statement of values and priorities, a blueprint for turning ideas into policies, a map of where the president wants to lead the country.

This week, even before the president’s budget was released, the Republican chairmen of the budget committees announced they would not even hold hearings with the White House budget director to discuss the proposal.

Their decision is more than a break with tradition. It is a new low in Republican efforts to show disdain for Mr. Obama, which disrespects the presidency and, in the process, suffocates debate and impairs governing.

The dismal consequences of Republican failure to govern has to be blamed on Republicans, not Obama or Democrats.

From The New Yorker: After suffering a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday night, the former Hewlett-Packard C.E.O. Carly Fiorina cheered herself up by firing her entire campaign staff, fired staffers confirm.

Minutes after the returns started coming in, revealing that Fiorina had no chance of making a respectable showing, the former business executive acknowledged that she was “sad at first—but then I realized that every failure is an opportunity, and in this case I had an opportunity to give some people the axe.”

After delivering pink slips to her entire campaign staff, Fiorina said, “I started feeling better already.”

Andy has pegged her heart of stone. People I knew in HP’s research department used to call her the Bankrupt Bitch.

From Crooks and Liars: After the 2016 New Hampshire primaries called Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders the winners, Steve Schmidt came on MSNBC to lend his expert political analysis to explain how this happened. Unfortunately, the former senior John McCain campaign advisor confused Trump’s campaign beliefs with Marco Rubio’s and Rachel Maddow immediately pounced to correct his very flawed opinions.

Barf Bag Alert!!

Isn’t it a blessing to have a moderator, who isn’t afraid to call Republicans on their BS?

Cartoon:

0210Cartoon

Hairball Calls Uranus Inspector a P*ssy

Posted by TomCat at 1:09 pm Politics

Feb 092016

Actually, the insult came from one ho Hateful Hairball’s TEAbuggery-bots, and he repeated it for the world, while pretending to chastise the woman. Now I hate to be put into the position of defending Uranus Inspector, no matter how you spell it, but Hateful Hairball is lying, The statement could not possibly be true,

A few minutes ago [Monday afternoon], Donald Trump took campaign rhetoric to a new level, when he started ranting about Ted Cruz’ lukewarm response to torture. Trump, it should be noted, is a full-throated advocate for torture.

In response, a woman in the audience shouted, "Ted Cruz is a pussy!"

While pretending that it was a horrible, awful thing (wink, wink) to say, Trump parroted back the woman’s words verbatim, so the entire audience could hear it…

Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>

Barf Bag Alert!!

That’s really quite absurd. Uranus Inspector could not be a p*ssy. He self-identifies with the TRUS, as in TRUS-ted. Uranus Inspector is the orifice that the TRUS goes up.

0209trus

Medical Recommendation: Treat with Saguaro suppository!

Open Thread–2/9/2014

Posted by TomCat at 1:07 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 092016

Yesterday I felt so tired that I actually fell asleep in my power chair at the medical building, while waiting for the LIFT bus. However I did make my first four successful transfers, using a quad cane, away from home: to and from the examining couch, and to and from a toilet. Today, Jeannie, (shower-aide) has come and gone, and Arvilla (PT) is due in thirty minutes. I feel very tired, and I want to get some rest, as the NH returns are tonight.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:54 (average 4:31). To do it, click here. How did you do?

In case you forgot:

Woooo Hoooo!!!!

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Hurricane Sandy opportunist and all-around overgrown bully Governor Chris Christie has been sitting on a bill that would cut out citizens from the decision process concerning whether or not their drinking water is privatized. Wait no longer, New Jersey. Yesterday, the Garden State’s AWOL governor signed the ironically named “Water Infrastructure Protection Act”—the irony is that it protects water from the people who drink it but not from being obliterated by private interests and the one percent’s whims.

Knowing PIGnocchio, NJ folks are likely to get their drinking water pumped direct from the Atlantic Ocean, New York Harbor, or worse.

From The New Yorker: The former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is hoping to jump-start his lagging Presidential campaign with a new television ad featuring the worst President in U.S. history, campaign aides confirm.

With the crucial New Hampshire primary just hours away, the Bush campaign believes it can finish strong by reminding voters of Jeb’s connection to a man who left the nation in smoldering ruins.

In the ad, which Bush aides are calling “a fantastic closing argument,” Jeb’s ability to keep the United States safe and create peace around the world is praised by the President, whose decisions helped destabilize the Middle East and give rise to ISIS.

Across the state, the ad featuring the worst President in U.S. history is making a powerful impression on voters.

Andy isn’t kidding!! Here’s the ad!

Double Bush Barf Bag Alert!!

Crawford Caligula also brought us 9/11! Strike Three is soooo toast!!

From NY Times: The former New Hampshire governor John Sununu once said that “Iowa picks corn and New Hampshire picks presidents.”

This year, New Hampshire may not live up to the billing — but it should nonetheless play a big role.

If the polls are anywhere near right Tuesday, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders will win the state, perhaps in landslides. Yet neither seems especially likely to win the nomination.

This is not to diminish the appeal of Mr. Sanders or Mr. Trump. Last summer, few could have predicted that they would be leading in every New Hampshire poll by at least seven percentage points during the final week of the race.

Go, Bernie, Go! Stop, Hairball, Stop!

Cartoon:

In today’s Republican Party, he would be classified as moderate.

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