Open Thread March 5 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 052026
 

Yesterday, the Senate refused to take action to restrain the Degenerate Darth Vader’s illegal war in Iran. I, as you have probably noticed, an struggling this week to keep abreast of what day it is. I think that may be at least in part because the first was on Sunday, and, although I consciously know that the week is Sunday through Saturday, I, because school weeks and work weeks start in Monday, subconsciously still see Monday through Friday as one through five. Hopefully I’ll be more on track next week.

I had realized I missed the start of Ramadan, hence the image. It goes until roughly March 19 this year.  The ending date is not totally predictable because the moon has to be in the right position at the time, but Eid al Fitr is predicted for March 20.

Tuesday, this happened. I hope you’ll find it as satisfying as I did. Of course, it’s still just words, no action – but coming from one Rethuglican to another, it’s like music. (Also, Josh Hawley even toreinto her, but I don’t have that quote.)

The first story at this link is the one I am posting -but just about every one is worth at least a look (and they are short.)

I don’t think Joyce is correct about every state. But, sadly, she doesn’t have to be right about every state for there to be fatal chaos. I stopped doing it when it became to much for my mobility, but I did work elections for many years administering elections in Colorado, and that under both Democratic and Republican Secretaries of State and County Clerks, during periods when Colorado was red, and periods when it was blue. The attitude of “If people are entitled to vote, we want them to vote” never changed through the years -though Democrats and Republicans disagreed on almost everything else. But that was then and this is now, and red states (and maybe counties, which might be worse) will ratf*** if they can.

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Open Thread March 4 2026

 Posted by at 5:54 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 042026
 

Yesterday, I didn’t get a response from Pat B. I hope she is OK and just living her life. Also, Axios reported that the Mango Moron plans to attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. I hope all the real journalists stay away, because I can’t think of a reason for him to attend other than to collect new names for his enemies list. Can you?

Today is the anniversary of the birth of Lois W, the wife of Bill w, who founded AA, and herself the founder of Al-Anon. She used to say it is the strongest day of the year. Also as expected, I watched Malcolm Nance’s Day 4 of the war, and picked up a quote for today’s meme-cartoon.

Archived from The Lever, which examines possible positions SCROTUS might take, should the question of the legality of the Saffron Sauron ‘s strike on Iran come before then at some point. I doubt there are any surprises in it.

Well, this is interesting. It would have been even more interesting, though, if he had done so before the Cantaloupe Caligula had bombed Iran.

From Talking points Memo. Best of luck to the investigators (no matter how smart they are, a little luck never hurts.)

In case anyone is wondering about the Nectarine Necromancer’s neck (I expect Nameless already knows):

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Open Thread February 12 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 122026
 

Yesterday, I learned that the special election to replace MTG will be on March first (I’m sure this information has been available, but I missed it.) I don’t know how crowded the ballot will be – but one Democrat running in it is Shawn Harris. Also, six House Republicans joined Democrats to kill the Apricot Antichrist’s tariffs on Canada. And I see that Ohio has passed a law making ballots unacceptable if they are received after Election Day, regardless of postmark. I am so sorry. Living in Colorado, we have had this for a long time – but because of it have also sent ballots out (almost ridiculously) early, and filled election materials with warnings about the rule, including what to do if it is Election Day and you forgot (drop boxes mostly.)As a result, it has not been an issue here. But in a state which has always accepted ballots by postmark and is now making this change when we are already in an election year, it’s sure to cause damage. My heart goes out to you.

Core Civic is the private prison company formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America. Colorado hires them for two prison, one in Crowley County and one in Bent County. Virgil has spent time in both, but mostly in Bent County. I don’t remember much about Crowley, but I can tell you that the one in Bent County is well run – because the Department of Corrections takes supervision seriously. Of course, no prison is fun, and the rules are rigid, and some appear ridiculous unless one remembers that every one of those regulations was put in place because someone F’ed Around, causing everyone to Find Out. There were no worms, mold, or maggots in the food, which came from Aramark, another company which has a poor reputation mostly based on prisons in the South and other red states. They also catered USAA when I worked there, and I have no complaints about the cafeteria then and there. But Dilley is not supervised by any state – it is supervised by DHS – and I’d bet the staff there are about as good as ICE and CPB agents – or, in other words, terrible.

IMO, this one is a keeper. Those of us who are not misogynistic have a strong tendency to believe that misogyny is so absurd that there can’t possibly be a majority of Americans who are misogynists. Wrong. This is a wakeup reminder. And we are NOT HELPING when we nominate exceptionally qualified women for the most powerful posts in the government at the national level. We are merely losing power.

Commercial aviation is not something I know very much about. I’m one of the most infrequent flyers alive. But even I know this is important and disturbing, even though I can’t say why. Axios does a lot of alerts like this and then develops the story. It had already been archived, but I did it again in case there were developments, but that was yesterday late afternoon, so it may not be the latest. If anyone wants to archive it again and see whether there is newer information, here’s the link to Axios, and here’s the link to Archive. (The order has already been rescinded. Heaven knows what they were thinking.)

Robert Reich

Cat

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Open Thread February 6 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 062026
 

Yesterday, I got an email from a new group – under the umbrella of Fast Action, which has been around a while – and I must say it’s about time. It’s called HEAL to Win, and it aims to support and recruit progressive candidates running for seats on school boards. Republicans have been way, way ahead of us on this for decades, which is a large chunk of why so many people, especially younger people, are so easily fooled by the Saffron Sauron and his band of orcs. They are offering a free digital tool kit on how to launch, manage and win a run for a local school board seat. This is not something I could do, or just anyone, though there are people who could and don’t know it. I’m attaching the link so you can pass it on.

Steve Schmidt on the difference between the Apricot Antichrist and John F. Kennedy, including a video of his “City on a Hill” speech – not a “shining city” – but a city which because of its location is visible to everyone, and had therefore better step up and shape up.

This is as shortsighted of Republicans as it was to try new districting for partisan reasons after SCROTUS claimed it had no jurisdiction over that – so now California’s redistricting has been blessed also.

I readily admit that I was a desk Marine, and could not have passed the fitness test for combat – I struggled much of my career to pass the women’s. But that’s me – and I belonged at a desk because that’s my skill set. The women interviewed for this article are different – and definitely belong[ed] in combat units. As did Tammy Duckworth.

This is almost 20 minutes long, and you a welcome to view it all, but all I want y’all to see is the first 8 minutes or so (You’ll know when she changes the subject.) I can cut minutes off the front, but not off the end, or I would have done so.

Rabbit

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Open Thread December 29 2025

 Posted by at 1:24 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 292025
 

Yesterday, I visited Virgil and – you guessed it – we played cribbage. Most of last week snow had been predicted, but Saturday snow dropped off the chart, so I wasn’t expecting any – but in the morning, there it was. I have to say it wasn’t much, though there got to be more of it the closer I got to Pueblo, but it was certainly very dry. And very cold. By the time I needed to leave in order to get home by sunset, the sun had been working on it and it was pretty much gone – still cold, though. But the cribbage was fun – there’s always something weird, and today it was several cribs having double runs of three. Heck, a double run of three is tough enough to set up in one’s hand – having one pop up in the crib when each of us puts two in with totally different motives is quite rare – unless it isn’t. And yesterday, it wasn’t.

Joyce Vance has a great point here. His malicious xeet(s) accusing everyone but himself of being what he in fact is, if taken at face value, do make him look like he knows a lot about Epstein and should testify. And there’s neither law nor DOJ guidance which says Presidents cannot be subpoenaed to testify. I like it.

Robert Reich offers an end-of-the-year pep talk which is not overdone and may help morale. (And he doesn’t end with “You look great!”)

From Current Affairs, referred by Daily Dose of Democracy. I think the titles is probably an exaggeration – if we were to solve this problem, another would arise to take its place – but I do believe that, if Republicans would only allow us to regulate anything – anything at all – everyone’s (except scammers and grifters) lives would improve

Sarah Cooper

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Open Thread December 23 2025

 Posted by at 5:37 pm  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Dec 232025
 

Yesterday, I slept quite late again. On Sunday my right shoulder had really been bothering me – not every minute, but with certain motions which I make far more frequently than I had ever imagined. In fact, it took me until today to actually figure out what parts of the shoulder I should be applying arnica to. But by the time I posted this, the shoulder was doing much, much better.

In case anyone wants to dig into the Epstein Files any deeper than you already have, Joyce Vance provides a little material, and a link to the exact spot on the DOJ website where you can search.

From Wolves and Sheep. Many people are still above ground who remember the moment alluded to here. In Fact Robert Reich is singling people out at the rate af about one a week for a “Joseph Welch award.” This article doesn’t even quote Welch in full. But if even one person is inspired to hope and work for an occasion for history to repeat Welch’s accomplishment, it’s worth sharing.

Got children or grandchildren or greats? Know anyone who does? This may be their last chance to phone Santa – if the grinch in the White House finds out about it. I hope I’m wrong.

Most of HCR’s videos are way too long for here. But this one is short – and for Christmas.

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Open Thread November 19 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 192025
 

Yesterday – well, that escalated quickly. The Senate sent the “release the files” bill to the Orange Oligarch’s desk for signature by 5:30 EST. (I received the Axios update at 3:35 MST, and assume it took 5 minutes or more to get it sent. I could be wrong – but not by more than 5 minutes.) I expected it to pass both Houses, but not today. People would not be in Congress if they did not love to talk. I also thought it had a good chance of being veto-proof. I did not expect it to pass with only one negative vote in both houses.

On Sunday, before the House Vote took place, Epstein survivors once again gathered on the Capitol steps, this time with photos of themselves contemporary with the abuse. It appears many people are viewing them as grown women in attempts to discredit, or at least soften, the trauma they endured. (Megyn Kelly is an example.) I really cannot address this – so just imagine a string of (expletive deleted)s, and supply whatever you wish to fill in. I will say I fully agree with Haley Robson’s assessment of the Apricot Antichrist’s reversal.

As Common Dreams demonstrates, it would be nice if we could manage to listen to Bernie. He has enough experience, and has paid enough attention to other nations’ methods of dealing with health care that he knoews what works. He has also done enough town hallls across the nation recently enough that he knows what is popular.

I’m very glad I didn’t include yesterday the news of Jesse Jackson being on life support – because it ain’t so. Yes, he turned 84 in October, so he’s not exactly youthful – he has Parkinson’s and PSP (which is definitely no walk in the park) – but he’s stable and with his family. The article includes a facsimile of the statement from his family (in very small print so I confess not to have read it all).

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Open Thread November 18 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 182025
 

Yesterday, along with the rest of the world, why Michelle Obama will not run for President. And apparently she has been singing my song – or I have been singing hers – except this is the first time she has said it publicly: “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready. That’s why I’m like, don’t even look at me about running because you all are lying. You’re not ready for a woman. You are not. So don’t waste my time.” She could have added “And don’t kill any career I do want.” And she is absolutely right. We ain’t ready – we aren’t going to be in my lifetime and quite possibly not in the lifetime of anyone who is alive today. Because this societal change has to start with parents – and the parents ain’t ready for the lesson: “If you don’t want your sons to be lonely, stop raising them to be misogynistic assholes.” (quote from John Pavlovitz) Also, I slept late (normal for a Monday) – in addition to normal catching up, I had stayed up to stream the first episode of “The American Revolution” (Passport allows me to stream it through my local station.) I was surprised by how much I already knew – but even more surprised at how much the current GOP is acting like George III’s cabinet “You’ll do what we tell you.” We know what those people want and we can second guess and outsmart them (didn’t work.) “We’ll tell you what you want.” “We’re sending in the troops.” And that’s just the first episode. (And this probably means nothing, but more than a few women were quoted using modern women’s voices, and every single time Abigail Adams was quoted, I knew it was she before the name was shown. That was also true for Phillis Wheatley, but that was only one quote and impossible to miss.) Also yesterday, the Evil Emperor claimed he had changed his mind on releasing the Epstein files. I have a theory as to why, but as yet no evidence.

To me, this Huff Post article is super good news. More Progressives running. They won’t all win their primaries, But at the very least some who do will win the general. And that will be good for all Americans – including the ones too dumb to know it.

Chris Bowers has a point here – but I think it’s also possible to underestimate the Apricot Antichrist, and that we have been doing so for ten tears now – since he first came down the escalator, in fact. Granted his body count for this regime is so far much lower than the body count from the first one (which I don’t think we should forget, nor allow others to forget), it is also far more violent – it is being achieved through direct and despicable action, rather than through inaction.

The only excuse to call this news is that it’s from a newsletter. We all knew it from the instant the election was called – just not the exact names and faces. But this from Common Dreams does have receipts.

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