Open Thread – 2/10/2021

Posted by TomCat at 10:57 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 102021

It’s a better day here in the CatBox. I need to get as much rest as possible, because Friday is my infusion day at the hospital, so I’m not sure what I’ll do tomorrow. I will definitely have just a short Personal Update on Friday. Happy Hump Day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:36 (average 5:20). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Donald J. Trump’s defense lawyers stunned the United States Senate on Tuesday by acknowledging that their client had incited the Capitol riot, but only because his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, made him do it.

The Senate listened in astonished silence as Trump’s lawyers coldly and methodically hurled Kushner under the bus.

Bruce Castor, one of Trump’s lead attorneys, claimed that the ex-President had been reluctant to speak to the angry mob of supporters on January 6th, and did so only after Kushner assured him, “What could possibly go wrong?”

Dang, Andy! Maybe Jared really did make him do it. That’s credible if you believe that Bears never, ever shit in the woods. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (NBC News Channel): Watch: Day 1 of Donald Trump’s Impeachment Trial In Senate

This video is 7.5 hours long, and I put it here so you can move around within it and see parts you want. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (Daily Kos Channel): Democrats present damning video to begin Trump’s impeachment trial for Jan. 6, 2021

I understand that most Senate Republicans evaded watching the video. The American people need to see this again, and again, and again, and again! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Wild Horses – Rolling Stones

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

Open Thread – 2/9/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:24 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 092021

It’s another painful day here in the CatBox. I spent two hours on the throne fighting Republcitis. Tuesday if Flush Your Republicans Day. ARGH!! I hope I flushed my last for a bit.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:46 (average 5:43). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

0209Cartoon

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: In an early-morning victory statement that took many in the N.F.L. by surprise, the Cincinnati Bengals have declared themselves the winners of next February’s Super Bowl.

The declaration of victory seemed designed to stir controversy, in no small part because sixty minutes of the sixty-minute-long contest have yet to be played.

But the Bengals remained defiant, arguing that no touchdowns, extra points, field goals, or safeties scored after their announcement should count.

Dang Andy, if the officials that make this call are the same ones that we watched on Sunday, then the Bengals just might get the trophy. They deserve it at least as much as Trump** lover Brady! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Crooks and Liars: New video has emerged of the so-called “QAnon Shaman” just moments after they stormed the Capitol on January 6th, providing further proof that these insurrectionists were taking their cues directly from Trump.

Could it be more clear? RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Arizona Republicans Still Waging Trump’s War On Democracy

What she is absolutely no different than what Trump** did. Both and all other Republicans who follow their lead belong in prison. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge over Troubled Water (from The Concert in Central Park)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

Open Thread – 2/5/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:35 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 052021

It’s a painful day here in the CatBox. Stowing the groceries yesterday was difficult. Tomorrow please expect no more than a Personal Update. WWWendy is coming in the morning. Have a great day, and TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:20 (average 6:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Calling it “the best news I’ve had in months,” Donald J. Trump has excitedly accepted congressional Democrats’ offer to star in a new, nationally broadcast television show.

Trump boasted to reporters about his new TV opportunity, which was presented to him, on Thursday, by Representative Jamie Raskin.

“It’s going to be similar to ‘The Apprentice,’ because I’ll be sitting behind a table, but it will also be a little different,” Trump explained. “Instead of me asking a lot of questions, people will be asking me the questions. That should spice things up.”

The former President said that the “most amazing” aspect of his new show would be the number of networks broadcasting it.

Dang, Andy!! Hopefully the follow up will a show about the Orange Pervert** broadcast from prison cell. It will be called: Orange** is the New Red! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Daily Kos: On Tuesday, the body of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed by pro-Trump insurrectionists during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, was laid in honor in the Capitol Rotunda. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived that evening to pay their respects. Americans were able to watch the ceremony on multiple news channels—but not on Fox News. On Fox News, Sicknick’s ceremony was barely mentioned.

Instead, Fox News’ ever-frothing opinion hosts did what they do best: stoke audience panic over all number of bizarre side issues, from a barrage of far-right conspiracy theories promoted by the fascist Laura Ingraham to Sean Hannity’s important report that somebody got ejected from a Lakers game “FOR HECKLING LEBRON.”

Fox’s attempt to mostly pretend Sicknick’s ceremony was not happening did not go without notice. In fact, it seems pretty much everybody noticed it, to the point that both blasting and mocking Fox for their silence became the evening’s hot Twitter pastime.

Most of the criticism noted that Fox News had long pretended that “Blue Lives Matter,” only to have it not matter at all when it came to an officer murdered by a Trump-devoted mob. The Washington Post even put some numbers to it with an analysis of how often the network even bothered to mention Sicknick compared to competing networks, even after the network ran “thousands” of segments about other police deaths during the previous four years.

Accusing Fox News of hypocrisy over the death of police officers, however, is giving them far too much credit. Fox News is not minimizing the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick because they wish to downplay the violence of Trump supporters toward police. Fox News is minimizing Sicknick’s death because they are accessories to his death. [emphasis added]

Click through! This author (Hunter) could not be more spot on! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): No Apology From Greene As House Removes Her From Committees

Thanks to the 11 Republican Representatives that voted for America and against the Nazi Republican Reich. But the sad fact that there were so few of them is ample evidence to show which side the Republican Party is on. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Dust in the Wind

For me, this seems particularly appropriate at the moment. Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

Open Thread – 2/4/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:40 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 042021

It’s a gruesome day here in the CatBox. Last night I slept poorly, and when I finally did sleep, I missed doses of Oxycodone. I am in enough pain, that I would lay down and tell you guys I’ll be here tomorrow if I could, but I can’t. It’s a grocery delivery day from Store to Door and I have to be up to receive, unpack, and store my order. on a scale of one to ten my day rating is ARGH!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:32 (average 4:26). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: In her most explosive claim to date, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene accused former President Barack Obama of converting to Judaism in order to obtain lasers.

According to Greene, Obama’s obsession with lasers was a result of working in the entertainment business, “where he is constantly surrounded by laser-owning Jews.”

“Obama would go to Netflix meetings and be seething with envy of all these Jewish TV executives who had lasers,” she said. “That’s why he converted to Judaism and, according to something I read on the Internet, got bar-mitzvahed.”

Dang, Andy! Obama??? Space Lasers, even?!!? How could he DO such a thing?!!? Oy Gevalt!! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Big Oil’s Grip On Power Weakens; Democrats Focus On Climate Change With New Majority

I don’t see climate change legislation fitting into a reconciliation package. In order to save our planet, we may need to Nuke the Filibastards! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Rolling Stones – She’s A Rainbow

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

Open Thread – 2/2/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:18 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 022021

It’s another painful/tired day here in the CatBox. I’ve had several trips to the throne room, and while it’s not Republicosis per se, the twisting, pushing and straining is really hard on my back. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update. WWWendy is coming in the morning and we have lots of chores to do.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:15 (average 4:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Republicans who want to distinguish themselves from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene or the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol should understand something: They’re going to need to distinguish themselves from the Republican Party itself. Because in the wake of Donald Trump’s time in the White House, Republicans had a decision to make. They could have tried to revert to being the party they were in 2015 and 2016—far right, ragingly hypocritical, and ruthlessly committed to partisan power, but with some basic allegiance to reality—and instead they have chosen to stay on the Trumpy road with the conspiracy theorists and the flagrant racists.

In recent weeks, Republicans have provided a long list of examples of how extremist the party is going to be going forward. Oregon Republicans passed a resolution saying that the attack on the Capitol was a “false flag” by leftists trying to make Trump supporters look bad. Arizona Republicans censured Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake, and Cindy McCain for insufficient loyalty to Trump and for defending the integrity of the state’s election. Rep. Matt Gaetz went to Wyoming to rally support against Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House, for having voted to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection. Don Jr. is also engaged in the attacks on Cheney.

The party’s treatment of Greene is another key example. It’s not hard to find a Republican who will say they oppose Greene’s conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook or Parkland school shootings, or her repeated expressions of interest in assassinating Democratic political leaders. But far from being marginalized over it, she is on the House Education and Labor Committee, which House Republican leadership would have had to agree to. In other words, it’s a repeat of “responsible” Republican responses when Trump would say or do something especially outrageous—they’d claim to be appalled, but go right on embracing him in every way that mattered. And Greene won her primary in Georgia with the backing of Rep. Jim Jordan and Debbie Meadows, the wife of former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

At this point, as never-Trump Republican Bill Kristol put it, House Minority Leader “Kevin McCarthy has been more critical of Liz Cheney than he has been of Marjorie Taylor Greene.” Kristol claims to be astonished by that, but he shouldn’t be. This is the Republican Party right now.

I hoped the party might split between old style Republicans and the Trump** party. It looks like that won’t happen. It appears the KKK, Nazi, TEABuggery branch has won the day. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From The New Yorker: In what is being hailed as an amazing act of canine heroism, President Joe Biden’s two German shepherds have dug up Donald J. Trump’s tax returns on the South Lawn of the White House.

According to sources, shortly after the President let Champ and Major out to play in the snow, they started sniffing one small patch of the lawn and digging intently.

Within minutes, the two White House pooches had unearthed twenty years’ worth of Trump’s federal tax returns, which they eagerly deposited on the Oval Office carpet for their master’s perusal.

Dang Andy, those dawgs need to take a vacation to Mar-a Lago, where they can pee on Trump**! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Democrats Nurse Fresh Memories Of Bad Faith Republican ‘Bipartisanship’

The Republican Reich has not changed. Rachel is saying the same things I said yesterday. She knows what Republicans mean when they say bipartisanship.

RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River (Official Lyric Video)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

Open Thread – 2/1/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:30 am Open Thread, Politics

Feb 012021

It’s a tired/painful day here in the CatBox. Yesterday, WWWendy and I got all our chores done. I feel very tired. Tomorrow, I expect to be be back in the saddle again. Oh God, it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:13 (average 5:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Donald J. Trump will act as his own defense attorney at his impeachment trial after receiving a law degree from Trump University.

Trump bestowed the degree upon himself in his capacity as the dean of the Trump University School of Law, where he graduated first in his class.

In his first official statement as the lead attorney of his defense team, Trump vowed not to quit the team “like those other losers.”

Andy, what a wonderful idea! Trump** will get the quality of representation he deserves! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Crooks and Liars: Tucker Carlson rants about anyone in the media that has dared to call out Fox for it’s dangerous rhetoric egging on white supremacists, and attacks AOC as a “tool of corporate power” for saying there are white supremacist sympathizers in Congress.

Barf Bag Alert!!

AOC is a tool of corporate power. The Pope is Jewish. And bears never, ever shit in the woods! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Daily Kos: A counterproposal by ten supposedly “moderate” Republican senators that would reduce COVID-19 pandemic emergency funding to a fraction of what’s being proposed by Democrats is landing with a wet thud today, despite the ten Republicans framing their effort around alleged “bipartisan” cooperation. That’s not a surprise; it’s difficult to believe the proposal, led by the perpetually concerned Sen. Susan Collins and including Sens. Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, and Rob Portman, was meant as genuine proposal. And Democrats, to their credit, seem appropriately skeptical about its earnestness.

The proposal sketched out by the ten Republicans in a letter to President Joe Biden on Sunday is most notable for its slashing of proposed pandemic funding. Biden and Democrats are moving towards a $1.9 trillion plan; the Republican senators are instead proposing just $600 billion, less than a third of that amount. It would reduce proposed survival checks from $1400 to $1000, and cut them off for Americans earning over $50,000 a year or families earning $100,000.

It also cuts school pandemic funding, with Bill Cassidy telling Fox News Sunday that the “real problem” is not ongoing pandemic dangers but “teachers’ unions telling their teachers not to go to work.”

The ten Republicans are attempting to sell the fractional measure as bipartisanship, and major news outlets are predictably gobbling those claims, with The Washington Post musing that “the GOP offer presents a challenge for Biden, who campaigned on promises to unify Congress and the country” and Reuters framing the measure and its supporters with the much-cherished “moderate” label. (It should go without saying that the nine of ten Republican senators who voted to nullify consequences for Trump attempting to extort a foreign leader for personal gain cannot be sensibly called “moderate.”) Of special note, the Republicans are framing their proposal as a way to dodge the partisanship of Democrats passing the Biden-backed proposal using reconciliation rules, rather than caving to Republican filibuster.

Well, you know what Republicans mean when they say “bipartisan”.

RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): New Kid in Town (2013 Remaster)

Ah… the memories. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Open Thread – 1/31/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:52 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 312021

It’s a VERY day here in the CatBox. WWWendy is doing chores. I should be in the saddle tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:42 (average 5:50). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: QAnon leaders are increasingly concerned that Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s obsession with Jewish space lasers is distracting her from her core mission of battling baby-eating cannibals.

In an emergency meeting of QAnon elders, the conspiracy theorists issued a communiqué warning Greene to “stay on point.”

“We sent you to Washington as an anti-cannibal candidate for a reason,” the communiqué read. “Your focus on Jewish space lasers, while totally valid, may impair your effectiveness in defeating the international baby-eating cabal.”

Dang Andy! How can sheeple be do dumb?!!? It’s BAAA-A-A-A-A-AAD!! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (SNL Channel): What Still Works Cold Open

Isn’t it fine that, even with Trump** out of the White House, Republicans still provide abundant material for satire. I won’t be rooting for Tom Brady. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival (HQ – 5.1 Studio )

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Personal Update – 1/30/2021

Posted by TomCat at 10:44 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 302021

Yesterday I told you I’d be in the saddle today barring unforeseen circumstances. I did not foresee that Mark would be tied up at the hospital and could not make it until today. Nevertheless, I was up waiting long enough to exacerbate my back pain. He just left and the chair is fixed. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, so please expect no more than a Personal Update. Have a great weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:50 (average 5:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoons:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: In a potential stumbling block for his Presidential ambitions, a new study indicates that the average American can stand only four seconds of exposure to Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican.

The study, conducted by University of Minnesota researchers during Tuesday night’s Republican debate, required subjects to be connected to electrodes to measure their tolerance for the senator.

Within four seconds of watching Cruz, the majority of participants begged to be released from the experiment, researchers reported.

Dang, Andy! I guess that makes me way below average! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): In My Life (Remastered 2009)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

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