Open Thread March 30, 2022

 Posted by at 6:52 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 302022
 

Yesterday, I went to my doctor’s office to get the form filled out that the DMV gave me Mondey (of course after calling to see whether they could fit me in. Frankly I think they went out of their way for me. I do try not to be a Karen.) I took the form to the DMV and it worked like a charm. In fact, they offered, because my driver’s license was supposed to renew within 6 months anyway, to renew it for another five years. Of course I was thrilled. (I do try not to be a Karen.) Now all I have to do is make an appontment to visit Virgil – the earliest Sunday he is available is April 10th (and, frankly, I feel safest driving on Sunday) I know that because the visitation staff has gone out of their way to let me know what days he (his “pod”) is scheduled for. (I do try not to be a Karen.) So back to what passes for normal starting today. Yay!

Cartoon 30 0330Cartoon.jpg

Short Takes –

Politico – CAWTHORN’S ORGY CLAIM FALLOUT
Quote – The first-term conservative said he received invitations along the lines of: “‘Well, hey, we’re going to have kind of a sexual get-together at one of our homes, you should come’.” The 26-year-old described his response on the podcast “Warrior Poet Society”: “I’m like, ‘What did you just ask me to come to?’ And then you realize they are asking you to come to an orgy.” Cawthorn also claimed to have seen other people who are “leading” efforts to eradicate drug addiction using cocaine in front of him.
Click through for story. I wouldn’t doubt the orgies, but I definitely doubt that anyone would invite Maddy. Unless they wanted to make him the goat (no, not the GOAT, just the goat, as in scape.)

PolitiZoom – REVEALED: Trump’s Last Official Call Jan 6 Was To Pence, Then A 7 Hour, 37 Minute Blackout On WH Logs. What’s Being Covered Up?
Quote – That immediately begs the question, what happened between the hours of 11:17 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. on January 6 and how was Trump communicating with people? He has already stated through a spokesman Monday night, “I have no idea what a burner phone is, to the best of my knowledge I have never even heard the term.” Right. What’s being covered up? Seven hours is one whole lot of a longer time than the infamous 18-minutes of Watergate.
Click through for details. I thought “Shades of Nixon” – but at 7:37 Trump makes Nixon’s 0:18 and a half look like Amateur Hour.

The National WWII Museum – Sophie Scholl and the White Rose
Quote – Within the United States, Sophie Magdalena Scholl is not the best-known resistance fighter, but her story is a powerful one. She was a key member of the Weiße Rose (White Rose)—a resistance group run by students at the University of Munich who distributed leaflets and used graffiti to decry Nazi crimes and the political system, while calling for resistance to the Nazi state and the war. On February 22, 1943, she was beheaded for treason at just 21 years old.
Click through for full details. If you hear someone allude to the “White Rose” (or the “White Rose Society”), this is what they are talking about. Beau does occasionally (he also has a Tshirt with a white rose, so he can allude to it without saying it.)

Food For Thought:
The video this quote is from will be on the Video Thread tomorrow. But this is so succinct I just wanted to meme it.

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Open Thread March 28, 2022

 Posted by at 6:13 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 282022
 

Yesterday, I checked and double checked everything I need to go to the DMV today. I am not looking forward to that (I am looking forward to it being over, though.) I may actually not have to be there forever. I had to make an appointment – the earliest I could get was for today… but I made the appointment back in February. So that line may supersede the traditional line of people in person. Yes, I will definitely mask. If I am slow commenting, please be patient. Thanks!

Cartoon

Short Takes –

Daily Kos (David Neiwert) – Michigan militiamen hoped their kidnapping plot would spark nationwide ‘Boogaloo’ civil war
Quote – The defendants, … all members of the so-called “Wolverine Watchmen” militia, are leaning heavily on claims that the government entrapped them into the plot to abduct Whitmer from her summer home and put her on “trial,” for which they now face federal kidnapping-conspiracy charges. The trial’s outcome could have broad ramifications for how federal authorities tackle the rising tide of right-wing domestic terrorism, as well as ongoing prosecution of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrectionists.
Click through for story. Their lawyers are (maybe I should say “were”) going for an entrapment defnse, but these dudes are making that well-nigh impossible. I am not getting the impression that any of them have the tiniest particle of remorse, either. “FOFA,” as the saying goes.

Daily Beast – Madison Cawthorn Committed the One Unforgivable Sin of Politics
Quote – But Cawthorn did something far worse, at least for his own political prospects, and it may cost him his seat: He left his constituents—and then was forced to return to them, hat in hand, after the courts predictably struck down the state’s new map, and eliminated the district he left to run in, on Feb. 23…. The numerous candidates challenging Cawthorn in the GOP primary, slated for May, do not intend to let voters in North Carolina’s 11th District forget it. One of them is Michele Woodhouse.
Click through for the twists and turns. Irony may be dead to humans – but Karma remembers. Really, this could not have happened to a nicer guy.

Women’s History – Wikipedia – Fatima al Fihri
Quote – Fatima bint Muhammad Al-Fihriyya (Arabic: فاطمة بنت محمد الفهرية القرشية) was an Arab woman who is credited with founding the al-Qarawiyyin mosque in 859 AD in Fez, Morocco. She is also known as “Umm al-Banayn”. Al-Fihri died around 880 AD. The Al-Qarawiyyin mosque subsequently developed a teaching institution, which became the University of al-Qarawiyyin in 1963.
Click through for bio, including some historians’ doubts. Personally, I consider it far more credible for white male historians to doubt the existence of a successful woman than for male Muslims to invent (or accept if invented) an oral tradition about a powerful, successful woman. (Many people doubt the accuracy of oral tradition in any culture … but those who have studied it, while admitting there can be details which change, have found the substance to be pretty darned reliable.)

Food For Thought:

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Video Thread 3/26/22

 Posted by at 12:16 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Mar 262022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Prosecutor Pomerantz Says Evidence Proves Trump Committed Felony Crimes But DA Bragg Won’t Indict

Meidas Touch – Ted Cruz gets HUMILIATED during Confirmation Hearing

Thom Hsrtmann – Should Clarence Thomas Be Impeached Or Recuse Himself?

Rebel HQ – Richard Ojeda Goes OFF On Partisan Hack Mitch McConnell

Puppet Regime – Ukraine Edition: Kim Jong Un Will Not Be Ignored!!

Abandoned Cat Was Antisocial Until A Tiny Kitten Forced Him To Play With Her

Beau – Let’s talk about Ukraine political parties and the mirror….

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Video Thread 3/22/22

 Posted by at 12:04 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Mar 222022
 

Glenn Kirschner – As Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Confirmation Hearing Opens, the Republicans Launch their Attacks

American Bridge – Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s opening statement

Meidas Touch – Legal Expert Harry Litman Day 1 Confirmation Hearing Recap

MSNBC – Facing Racist Dog Whistles In The Senate

The Lincoln Project – Ohio GOP Debate – Any Questions

Farron Balanced – Tucker Carlson Freaks Out After Being Accused Of Spreading Russian Propaganda

Beau – Let’s talk about the Russian space agency’s new tone….

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Open Thread March 21, 2022

 Posted by at 7:19 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 212022
 

Yesterday was the Vernal equinox (at 9:33 am where I am).However, I have been keeping track of the times of sinrise and sunset for several months now – and the day that there was exactly 12 hours each of daylight and dark was not yesterday, but last Thursday. Three days off. That is close, but not close enough to be a rounding error. There musy be another factor. The fact that the eastern plains stretch out so evenly (gradually going down a little)? Maybe the altitude itself? I was tracking sunset at the winter solstice, but not yet tracking sunrise then. If Colorado transitions to year-round daylight time by November (states have some options and I think they have until next year to do it anyway), I won’t need to track any more for safety reasons, but now I’m intrigued.

Also yesterday, I received (as I do daily) Robert Reich’s newsletter. On Sundays there is always a cartoon caption contest. This week I actually thought of a caption. Because the site where one posts entries is for paid subscribers and I am a free one, I didn’t post it, but I’ll share it here.
“How much longer are we going to have to wait for these Karens to quit screaming and leave?”

Cartoon

Short Takes –

The Guardian – Star Trek makes Stacey Abrams president of United Earth – and stokes conservative anger
Quote – Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays [Captain Michael] Burnham, told Variety she was “taken aback … and really moved” by Abrams’ performance. “It really signaled the culmination of the season having her there,” she said, “because she’s such this symbol of hope and strength and connection and sacrifice and building something bigger than yourself that will last generations, and that’s exactly what we’re talking about doing in the story.”
Click through for story. Keep an eye out for the show if yu use whichever streaming service it is that carries Discovery (I’m not on any.) I did see a gorgeous photo of her in cosyume over on one of George Takei’s sites. (If an actor, in order to “deserve” a role, had to be able to do IRL everything the character does – that would be the end of stunt doubles. And also of the Marvel franchise.)

Eight House Republicans Side With Vladimir Putin Against The United States
Quote – The Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act, which passed by a 424-8 margin, allows President Joe Biden to increase tariffs on products coming from the two countries and requires the US Trade Representative to seek suspension of Russia’s participation in the World Trade Organization.
Click thrugh for list. I don’t know whether anyone else is calling them “The Hateful Eight,” but I certainly am. And particularly when one considers the numbers and names of the low-lifes who did vote for it.

Women’s History – Wikipedia – Andrée Borrel
Quote – Andrée Raymonde Borrel, code named Denise, was a French woman who served in the French Resistance and as an agent for Britain’s clandestine Special Operations Executive in World War II. The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe against the Axis powers, especially Nazi Germany. SOE agents allied themselves with resistance groups and supplied them with weapons and equipment parachuted in from England. In September 1942, Borrel was the first female agent of SOE to arrive in France by parachute.
Click through for bio. Women in resistance movements in any war under any government are well aware they may not have a long life. Andrée Borrel did not live to see her 25th birthday. But what she accomplished in that roughly 24 and a half years was remarkable.

Food For Thought:

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Video Thread 3/18/22

 Posted by at 12:18 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Mar 182022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Putin’s Acts Against Ukraine & Trump’s Acts Against the US: Political Acts or Acts of Evil? (“Why not both?” – JD)

Robert Reich – The Real Reason Congress Gets Nothing Done

Rebel HQ – Veteran RIPS Lauren Boebert For Disrespecting Military (As I’ve said elsewhere, I expect she got a letter from the [Fascist] mother of a Marine Lance Corloral [E3] which is abbreviated LCpl. Granted to be what she said it should have been “LtCpl,” but no other service uses the word “Lance” in a rank, so she just assumed. I wonder what she would have done with GySgt.)

Zelensky visits hospitalized girl who shielded her younger brother from Russian gunfire

The Lincoln Project – Putin’s Puppet

Puppet Regime – CoViD-19

Beau – Let’s talk about the country in the mirror….

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Video Thread 3/15/22

 Posted by at 11:44 am  Open Thread, Politics
Mar 152022
 

Glenn Kirschner – Before Putin’s Illegal War Against Ukraine, There Were Trump’s Crimes Against President Zelensky

Thom Hartmann – Crazy Alert: Did the GOP Really Endorse Killer

No Dem Left Behind – Protect our kids from Religious Right extremists and the GQP!

Sum of Us – BlueTriton is the worst company you’ve never heard of.

Really American – Republicans Dine In Moscow: Party Of Treason

Suibhne – The Animated History of Ukraine (17 Minutes)

Beau – [Two videos about the domino effects of war]

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Open Thread March 13, 2022

 Posted by at 7:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 132022
 

Yesterday, the opera was “Ariadne auf Naxos,” which, in the announcements this week, was referred to as a combination of “high drama and hijinks.” It’s about two groups of actors who have been hired to provide after-dinner entertainment for a count’s (or duke’s, I forget which) party (so you can add high privilege to the mix.)  In the first act (which Strauss called the “prologue”) we meet all the actors as they squabble about which group is to go first (and other things). Finally, they get orders that both are to perform simultaneously. Of course, there’s more squabbling; no one likes that, since one is an opera comoany with a grand opera, and the other is Commedia dell’Arte, including slapstick. It appears impossible. In the second act (which Strauss called the opera), they do the impossible. I wouldn’t describe how they manage it (even if I could) because that’s kind of the point. But for this performance, the Met made it even more complex by starting with the chorus singing the Ukrainian National Anthem.

As incongruous as it sounds, there was a time (around WWI) when our nantional anthem did open every opera performance,  just as sports events still do. But that was long ago, and even those who survive to remember it have I suspect mostly forgotten it. So this gesture — well, I applaud it, but I admit it carries a lot of baggage. For as long as I can remember, the Met has worked hard to stay detached from world events. And there has been pressure on it to recognize some world events, but it hasn’t budged. Until now. I suppose, given that it has disinvited Anna Netrebko from next season, I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Mother Jones – I’m a Cop With a Trans Daughter. Lawmakers Want Me to Arrest the Doctors Who Saved Her Life.
Quote – I mean, if I think back to before the doctors, I’ve got pictures of her from the year before she came out, and you can see the look on her face. Like she’s not there. As her health care kicked in and she got more confident about who she was, she became more outgoing, making friends. She never used to talk to people hardly at all, unless she really, really knew them. Now you get her started and you can’t get it to stop. She started her own online group on Discord for kids like her, so they’d have some place to talk. She’s trying to write a book. Before she never wanted to be in crowds, and last night we went to a Billie Eilish concert together.
Click through for article. I’ve been saying that misogyny is more powerful even than racism. I don’t exactly think anti-LGBTQIA is part of misogyny (I don’t want to disregard or diminish the effect of any form of bigotry), but I do say they are related as part of opposition to anything other than straight male. And I believe that opposition does transcend racism even.

Democratic Underground (majdrfrtim) – I heard from one of my UKR paratrooper buddies Tuesday.
Quote – Anyway, for most of the rest of my times being deployed I sent him money every month to help him and his growing family so they could buy an apartment. Just after the invasion two weeks ago he sent me a photo of his military kit (rucksack, sleeping bag, bedroll, etc.) with the caption, “All your presents are at work again.” That took my breath away. Since then, I’ve been checking that platform several times daily looking for word from him, his wife, or any of the other guys I know. As the situation over there has worsened, I have engaged every resilience option at my disposal to just get through each day.
Click through for this very personal account. It’s easy to get caught up on the big picture of big events and thereby to miss how such events affect every person individually.

Women’s History – HuffPost – Congress Finally Renews The Violence Against Women Act
Quote – It’s been an embarrassingly bumpy road for VAWA reauthorization in Congress. The law’s authorization lapsed three years ago. Once upon a time, this was legislation that passed unanimously in both chambers, and it was uncontroversial to support programs credited with stopping violence against women and saving people’s lives.
Click through for details. We once again lost out to the NRA, and the renewal is only for five years. But it’s something. We still have a lot of work to do if we are going to be able to keep it – and the rest of our democracy.

Food For Thought:

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