Open Thread – 3/31/2019

Posted by TomCat at 12:01 pm Open Thread, Personal, Plus, Politics

Mar 312019

Big rush. Wendy’s sister, Katie, will be here soon, and we have a busy morning.

Done, I’m still busy and way pooped.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:43 (average 5:16). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (SNL Channel): Mueller Report Cold Open

Dang!! They mimic the real assholes beautifully! RESIST!!

From YouTube (A blast from the past): Steppenwolf – Born to be wild 1969

Ah, the memories! What a drummer! RESIST!!

From NY Times: In a major legal blow to President Trump’s push to expand offshore oil and gas development, a federal judge ruled that an executive order by Mr. Trump that lifted an Obama-era ban on oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean and parts of the North Atlantic coast was unlawful.

The decision, by Judge Sharon L. Gleason of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, concluded late Friday that President Barack Obama’s 2015 and 2016 withdrawal from drilling of about 120 million acres of Arctic Ocean and about 3.8 million acres in the Atlantic “will remain in full force and effect unless and until revoked by Congress.” She wrote that an April 2017 executive order by Mr. Trump revoking the drilling ban “is unlawful, as it exceeded the president’s authority.”

The decision, which is expected to be appealed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, immediately reinstates the drilling ban on most of the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Alaska, a pristine region home to endangered species including polar bears and bowhead whales where oil companies have long sought to drill. Along the Atlantic coast, it blocks drilling around a series of coral canyons that run from Norfolk, Va., to the Canadian border which are home to unique deepwater corals and rare fish species.

Kudos to Judge Gleason and to President Obama for appointing a fair judge. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

Sunday Smiles: Letting Myself Off Easy

Posted by SoINeedAName at 9:03 am Politics

Mar 312019

Not quite a sabbatical, but between doctor appointments and one of my cousins being in town from Chicago for the Royals v White Sox games this opening weekend, I really didn’t have time to put one together.

But I think this will provide you with a few smiles, giggles and outright guffaws – at least it did for me.

So I hope you enjoy: “Cats vs The World”

Cats vs. world 😼 pic.twitter.com/bjTeYoZ1DP

— The Dodo (@dodo) February 10, 2019

Bill Maher from 3/29

Posted by TomCat at 10:28 am Politics

Mar 302019

It’s that time of week again, so here are four good video clips from Bill’s show last night. Enjoy!

Monologue: Trump’s “Got Away with Treason” Tour

“Trump is not a virgin.” Don’t we all wish he was? Little Pencil Neck Adam Schiff? Mushroom dick Trump? How about micro-dick Trump?

Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Pete is one of the more moderate Democrats in the race, and therefore, one of my least favorite. Nevertheless, I would joyfully vote for him in the general election against Putin’s Puppet, any other Republican, or any 3rd party or independent candidate.

I Don’t Know It For a Fact…I Just Know It’s True

Lindsey Poo’s ring tone is It’s Raining Men. LOL!

New Rule: Capitalism PLUS

“Socialism as a supplement to Capitalism is good.” Very well said. Unfettered capitalism does not make you more free. It makes billionaires more free to exploit YOU!

I hope you enjoyed those.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 3/30/2019

Posted by TomCat at 10:28 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 302019

I must be feeling pretty tired, because I overslept again. I just got my A1c results. I’m quite pleased with 6.0. Tomorrow Wendy’s niece, Katie, is filling in for her. I hope to publish normally, but may not have time. If I can’t I won’t send links messages on Care2.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:33 (average 5:04). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): William Barr Improvises Role On Mueller Report Despite Clear Regulations (25 min.)

The more Republicans we subpoena (with cause), the better. Is Coverup General Barr suggesting that Moby Dick might contain evidence of whales, after all? People who believe anything Barr says are fools. RESIST!!

From Huffington Post: Former Nevada Assembly woman Lucy Flores published an op-ed in New York Magazine’s The Cut on Friday alleging that Joe Biden inappropriately kissed and touched her after he offered to help her with her 2014 campaign.

Flores, who was running for Nevada lieutenant governor at the time, described her encounter with the former vice president as making her feel “uneasy, gross, and confused.” During a Las Vegas campaign rally, she alleges he approached her from behind, put his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair and kissed the back of her head.

“I froze. ‘Why is the vice-president of the United States touching me?’” she wrote.

She detailed the unwanted encounter with the likely 2020 candidate, which took place right before she was set to go onstage and speak.

I don’t want to rush to judgment, but I think it should be investigated and appropriate action taken. The Republican Reich already have a bush bandit running for Resident. Democrats cannot afford to copy them. RESIST!!

From Alternet: National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre issued a stark warning that the group may be forced to shut down due to financial woes in a fundraising letter to supporters.

LaPierre wrote in a four-page letter that the group may be forced to shutter “very soon,” The Daily Beast reported. The NRA chief blamed the financial woes on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who last year directed state regulators to “urge insurance companies, New York State-chartered banks, and other financial services companies licensed in New York to review any relationships they may have with the National Rifle Association.”

LaPierre wrote that Cuomo’s “tactics are already working.”

“Right now we’re facing an attack that’s unprecedented not just in the history of the NRA, but in the entire history of our country. And if this attack succeeds, NRA will be forced to shut down forever,” LaPierre wrote.

That would be wonderful. The demise of the NRA would open the door for the creation of a new organization to do the training in gun skill and safety that it used to do, when I was a member, half a century ago. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

Samantha Bee from 3/27

Posted by TomCat at 9:50 am Politics

Mar 292019

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

Collusion Conclusion

Amen Sam! Collusion Delusion (not the band) is still alive and well in the Republican Reich. Vote the Colluder-in-Chief out of office.

Mick Mulvaney, Bad Scammer

No matter how vile Sam makes Mulvaney seem, and he is that vile, he’s typical of the Republican Reich.

Immigrants in the Military

Trump and the Republican Reich do not want educated recruits, immigrant or otherwise. They want ignorant Nazis to kill Americans on command. Thank God most of our service members are better than that.

That was a great show. Sorry I’m a day late.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 3/29/2019

Posted by TomCat at 9:49 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Mar 292019

I had a busy day yesterday, and after a long week, I’m feeling quite tired. My only medical issue is a yeast infection in the diaper area. No wonder the antibiotic ointment didn’t work. My next trip put isn’t until a week from Monday for my semi-annual eye torture. TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:05 (average 4:18). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Rep. Adam Schiff’s Controlled Anger At GOP’s Indifference On Russia

Have truer words than Schiff’s ever been spoken? I think not. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): See DeVos’ reaction to CNN’s questions after testimony

Every penny Democrats can’t spend on disabled kids is a penny Republicans can give to a billionaire. RESIST!!

From Daily Kos: One inherent danger of allowing a religious minority to install a puppet controlled by religious fanatics in the White House is the now unfolding threat of government officially establishing religion – the Christian religion. Any American’s confidence that the U.S. Constitution is a protection against government establishing religion is grossly misplaced and, that belief is about to be disabused by the current religious conservatives responsible for adjudicating the law of the land.

Because a nearly half-century-old Supreme Court ruling prevented the government from advancing religion, the wall of separation between church and state is almost certainly going to be eviscerated by the Christian conservatives on the current Supreme Court. The crusade to demolish the wall of separation is being advanced by one of the Heritage Foundation SCOTUS nominees confirmed shortly afterTrump corrupted every aspect of the government his tiny little hands touched. However, it is noteworthy that Neil Gorsuch’s theocratic crusade is wholly supported by Trump’s other SCOTUS appointee, religious serial liar and sexual abuser Brett Kavanaugh.

The reason the “Establishment Clause” is going to be found unconstitutional by the current Court’s Christian conservatives is crystal clear; they believe a 1970’s-era ruling prohibiting government establishment of religion adhered to the U.S. Constitution and is patently wrong. The prohibition on government establishing religion is appalling to evangelicals and the theocrats on the High Court are not going to tolerate it any longer.

I agree with this author with one highly notable exception. Republicans are not establishing the Christian Religion. There is nothing remotely Christian about the Republican anti-Christian dogma of hate, lies, and oppression. Their religion is the polar opposite of authentic Christianity. It’s Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christianity. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

Personal Update – 3/28/2019

Posted by TomCat at 5:35 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Mar 282019

I have to leave before 7:00, co color me gone. This is today’s only article from me. Hugs to all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:30 (average 4:59). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Here Comes RepubliCare

Posted by TomCat at 10:34 am Politics

Mar 272019

RepubliCare is the Republican Plan for health care, if Trump and his Republican Reich are successful in destroying the Affordable Care Act. Its sole feature is the RepubliCare Death Benefit. If you can afford to pay enough for health care to mike a profit for Big Insurance and Big Pharma, you get health care. If not, you get to die almost free. (the Reich charges only 100% of your remaining assets as a modest disposal fee.

Late Monday night the Trump administration issued an eye-catching legal filing, essentially advocating for the elimination of the entire Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. This was a reversal from the White House’s previous position, which only sought to invalidate certain, often popular, provisions of the law. If the administration gets its way, there would be widespread chaos as the health care system would drastically revert to its pre-ACA era existence overnight—with impacts ranging from millions of people losing Medicaid to insurers being able to refuse people because of preexisting conditions and to charge people for birth control.

The administration’s filing Monday asks a federal court to approve a ruling from earlier this year in a federal court in Texas that said Obamacare was “unconstitutional” and struck down the entirety of the health care law.

The plethora of Democrats currently running to unseat Donald Trump in 2020 eagerly pounced on the news as a major development, making it even more clear that health policy will be keyed up as a prime topic during the next presidential election, just as it was in last year’s midterms. “If it’s a fight for healthcare this administration wants, it’s a fight they’ll get—and we will win,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand tweeted Monday night. But while Trump’s opposition to health care reforms received plenty of attention Tuesday morning, the legal filing was not actually a major break in policy goals; Trump and his officials have spent the past two years latching onto any and every possible method to undermine Obamacare—both broadly and by slowly whittling away key provisions. What it is, though, is basically a major political gift to Democrats…