Open Thread 5/7/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:46 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 072020

It’s a busy day, here in the CatBox. Store to Door is delivering groceries this afternoon, and I have to put them away. Tomorrow please expect no more than an Open Thread or Personal Update. It’s my day to get zapped with Radiation. WWWendy is taking me. When I return, I plan to have some chili con goop, so the green cloud I send north to Squatch will be radioactive.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:11 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0507TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 1,266,785
Deaths: 74,962
Recovered: 213,138

Short Takes:

From Alternet: A new report from Vanity Fair’s Diana Falzone published Wednesday recounts a series of stories in which the federal government has allegedly seized personal protective equipment — desperately needed during the coronavirus crisis — from private hands.

One businessman who owns a medical equipment supply firm said the FBI contacted him on the suspicion he was price-gouging, which he said his profit margins disproved. But his future shipments of N95 masks, which he planned to sell to “fire departments, nursing homes, and EMT departments,” were seized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said. Vanity fair reported that the document officials used to seize his orders cited President Donald Trump’s executive order claiming authority to determine the allocation of COVID-19 resources.

In the Republican Reich, every billionaire that wants PPE can get it. That’s why Republicans steal PPE supplies from heroes. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Parallels Between Gun Rights Debate And Virus Debate

The NRA and Republican billionaires have one thing in common. Both don’t give a damn how many Americans their policies murder, as long as their money and power increase! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Brian Hyland – Sealed with a Kiss with Lyrics

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

A Bright Spot Makes the Fuhrer Squirm

Posted by TomCat at 10:37 am Politics

May 062020

Do you remember the “anonymous whistleblower that helped expose the high crimes and misdemeanors for which criminal Fuhrer Trump* escaped responsibility? Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch and the Senate Republicans violated their oath. Well, it’s whistleblower time again. This one is not anonymous, and the high crimes and misdemeanors are even worse.

[H]e was pressured to invest in drugs and vaccines that lacked scientific merit, because the people selling them had friends in the Trump administration, up to and including the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. He was forced to transfer funds to acquire drugs for the Strategic National Stockpile, America’s most important reserve of lifesaving medications, based not on health needs but on “political connections and cronyism.” He was instructed to use his department’s budget to purchase flu medications of questionable efficacy. And when the COVID-19 crisis erupted, he was pressured to approve a plan that would “flood” cities with unproven and untested doses of chloroquine drugs, from uninspected manufacturing plants in Asia. When his efforts to work through the system failed, he decided he had a “moral obligation to the American public” to ring the alarm about the plan, “which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety.” In retaliation, he was “smeared,” with officials unfairly accusing him of dropping the ball on vaccine development and PPE preparation.

These are just some of the allegations contained in a blistering, 63-page complaint that Dr. Rick Bright, former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), filed today with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. According to his lawyers, Bright will testify before Congress next week.

Vanity Fair has submitted requests for comment to the White House and the Food and Drug Administration, and will update this article with any responses. In a statement, Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Caitlin Oakley said: “Dr. Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing—critical to combatting COVID-19—where he has been entrusted to spend upwards of $1 billion to advance that effort. We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor.”

Bright has become the first high-level federal whistleblower to publicly allege that the Trump administration has responded to the COVID-19 crisis by unduly pressuring health officials, and putting politics and profit ahead of science. Bright, the government’s top coronavirus vaccine developer, had spent a decade at BARDA, a small but powerful agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), whose mandate is to partner with private companies to help accelerate the development of vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. According to Bright’s complaint, BARDA manages almost $50 billion worth of contracts and acquisitions, on an annual budget of just over $1.5 billion. He was named director in 2016… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Vanity Fair>

I strongly encourage you to click the link in the second paragraph and read the shocking complaint in it’s entirety.

Here’s some coverage from CNN.

Ousted vaccine director says pandemic warnings were ignored

In the criminal Fuhrer’s White House, as in the entire Republican Reich, truth telling is a capital offense.

White House coronavirus task force to be ‘phased down’ around Memorial Day

There are few things that the Republican Reich, especially criminal Fuhrer Trump* hate more than oversight. They fear that the next whistle blower will publicly expose it, when Republicans murder more and more Americans to reopen the economy for Trump’s* political ends.

MSNBC did a better job covering the actual corruption.

Coronavirus Whistleblower Complaint Suggests Trump Admin. Putting Politics Above Science

How many thousands of Americans have died and will die, because criminal Fuhrer Trump* is diverting the resources desperately needed by sick families no serve his, his relatives’, and his Republican cronies’ greed?

The last time there was a whistleblower complaint, we impeached Criminal Fuhrer Trump*. Since these high crimes and misdemeanors are even worse, it’s time to give that dirty son of a bitch (apologies to all female dawgs) a second asterisk.

RESIST!!

Open Thread–5/5/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:30 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 052020

It’s a tired day, here in the CatBox, as yesterday completely wore me out. I’ve avoided tatoos all my life, but now I have five. They are small dots on my abdomen to serve as targeting guides. I almost asked them to roll me over and put two eyes above my butt hole. That would have given me a Trump* tattoo that acts just like the Fuhrer does!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:38 (average 5:08). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0505TrumpVirusMap

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: There is an op-ed in the Kansas City Star written by Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren (www.kansascity.com/…) promising to use the power of the government to punish the blatant corruption that is obvious everywhere:

The Biden administration will appoint an inspector general to review every coronavirus relief transaction currently evading serious scrutiny. Wasteful, corrupt deals and giveaways will be rooted out and undone. Suspicious transactions will be referred to the Justice Department for investigation and prosecution. Every Trump administration official and business executive contemplating such deals should hear us loud and clear. Trump may wink and nod at this corruption. We will not.

Imagine what this means for Jared Kushner? Or everyone involved in the open piracy of stealing medical supplies from a state that paid for them (and arranged transportation)? Or all the companies selling our national stockpile for high profits?

When this unfortunate virus has stabilized, we need a national truth and reconciliation committee. And with real jail time!!

Wow! If they really follow through this time, unlike far too many past instances, we’ll need to build more prisons to hold those Republican corporate criminals. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): New Ad From Conservative Group Angers Trump

I think the Lincoln Project made a fantastic ad. On most things, I completely disagree with most conservatives. However, I am willing to respect them, coexist with them, and compromise with then, with one caveat. It must be mutual. That cannot happen with today’s Republican Reich. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Donovan – Catch the wind

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Remember Kent State!

Posted by TomCat at 6:42 am Politics

May 042020

Fifty years ago, I had recently dropped out of the anti-war movement, because, as a devotee of nonviolent protest and passive resistance, I could not support the direction that the weather faction had taken the movement. Nevertheless, the events of this day filled me with a sense of horror only rarely experienced.

…On May 4, 1970, another student rally was scheduled for noon at the Commons on the Kent State University campus. Before the rally began, the National Guard ordered those congregated to disperse. Since the students refused to leave, the National Guard attempted to use tear gas on the crowd.

Because of the shifting wind, the tear gas was ineffective at moving the crowd of students. The National Guard then advanced upon the crowd, with bayonets attached to their rifles. This scattered the crowd. After dispersing the crowd, the National Guardsmen stood around for about ten minutes and then turned around and began to retrace their steps.

For an unknown reason, during their retreat, nearly a dozen National Guardsmen suddenly turned around and began firing at the still scattered students. In 13 seconds, 67 bullets were fired. Some claim that there was a verbal order to fire. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. Some of the students who were shot were not even part of the rally, but were just walking to their next class…

Inserted from <About.com>

Here is something to help remember the day.

To this day, I cannot hear this song without tearing up. Just a couple years before I saw one of Mayor Daley’s storm troopers murder a young girl, when police attacked demonstrators at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in March, 1968. She offered him a flower. He smashed her head with a his baton. I fear that we will see more heroes murdered for us.

RESIST!!

Open Thread–4/30/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:49 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Apr 302020

It’s a crappy day here in the CatBox. I spent a lot of time on the throne this morning. The problem with eating goop is like the problem with computer programming. Goop in; goop out. I talked to Megan (my PCP) and Evelyn’s (my Oncologist) nurse this morning. We all agree that the best way to deal with Republicosis is Imodium AD. Thursday is send Republicosis to criminal Fuhrer Trump* Day!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:09 (average 5:00). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0430TrumpVirusMap

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Vice-President Mike Pence has started wearing a mask after Anthony Fauci told him that it will protect him from women, Fauci has confirmed.

After seeing video of a maskless Pence touring the Mayo Clinic, on Tuesday, Fauci said, “I knew I had to come up with something fast” to get through to Pence.

Fauci immediately got on the phone with the Vice-President and informed him that “clinical research” had demonstrated that a mask is “an effective female-repellent.”

I believe you, Andy. That brown-nose sycophant, Pence, would love ensure that the use of his butt is reserved exclusively for his beloved criminal Fuhrer Trump*. RESIST!!

From Alternet: Countless non-fundamentalist churches in the United States, from Catholic to Lutheran and Episcopalian, have embraced social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic and temporarily moved their activities online. But many Christian fundamentalists and evangelicals have been irresponsibly downplaying the dangers of COVID-19 and doing so with deadly results: journalist Alex Woodward, in the U.K.-based Independent, reports that the pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 30 pastors in the Bible Belt.

“Dozens of pastors across the Bible Belt have succumbed to coronavirus after churches and televangelists played down the pandemic and actively encouraged churchgoers to flout self-distancing guidelines,” Woodward reports.

What Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians (the polar opposite of authentic Christians) fail to realize is that their false god carries a pitchfork and has horns, cloven hooves, and a pointy tail. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): From Ukraine to Coronavirus: Trump’s Abuse of Power Continues, featuring Robert Reich

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right. Criminal Fuhrer Trump* exactly reflects the values and policies of the Reich on the Right, the Republican Reich. Every Republican in office is one Republican too many. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast): If it be Your will – Leonard Cohen – Lyrics

I hadn’t heard this before, but given my current situation, it really hits home. RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–4/24/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:19 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Apr 242020

It’s a crappy day, here in the CatBox… literally. I woke up at 1:00 AM with severe Republicosis and almost didn’t make it. I did nor get back to bed until 2:45. I was back on the throne at 5:45. I suspect the next trip will be soon. Wish me luck, or better yet, does anyone have a spare cork? TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:38 (average 4:04). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

0424Cartoon

Trump* Virus Update:

0424TrumpVirusMap

Short Takes:

From Willamette Week: Forty-two percent of Oregon’s small business payrolls were covered by the federal Paycheck Protection Program last week.

The $350 billion program was designed by Congress to give companies with up to 500 employees the equivalent of two-and-half months of payroll in forgivable loans.

Oregon’s yield from the program—42 percent of eligible payrolls covered—was the third-lowest figure in the country, according to calculations by Ernie Tedeschi, an analyst at the New York investment banking firm Evercore ISI. Those findings were first published by Bloomberg News.

Tedeschi’s numbers show an imbalance: The top three states—Nebraska, North Dakota and Kansas—got an average of 79.4 percent of their small business payrolls covered. All are red states. The bottom three, Oregon, New York and California, which got an average of 40 percent, vote blue.

The picture in the article of a Portland business says it best.

0424WW

RESIST!!

From YouTube (Late Show Channel): Meet The Former Dog Breeder In Charge Of Coronavirus Response At HHS

Wouldn’t we all be better off, if criminal Fuhrer Trump* had appointed the dawg instead of the Republican asshole? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): George Harrison-My Sweet Lord (Studio Version) Original

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Open Thread–4/23/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:51 am Blog News, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Apr 232020

It’s a pleasure to be back in the CatBox, after an absence of over two weeks. Our HSP shut us down for a TOS compliance violation for using a © image several years ago. One of our Administrators had purchased a membership from a photo sharing site that misrepresented that its members could use the images there for all noncommercial purposes. They did not tell members that the original photographers retained ownership of the images. This particular photographer has a long history of scamming site owners with bogus lawsuits. For our protection from such scams, I keep our domain anonymously held. He couldn’t find out who we are to sue us. All he could do is complain to our HSP, Bluehost. They apparently emailed me in late March, warning me to correct the problem by removing the image. I never noticed it. They send me SPAM every day, trying to sell me business services that we will never want or need. I suspect I trashed the warning with those. They shut us down on 4/6, when I did not comply with their warning. Normally, their CS is excellent, but an inadequate response to Trump* Virus has put their CS in the toilet. I deleted the image from the Bluehost site. Then, over the next two weeks, I spent over 48 hours in chat and wrote a dozen emails, while fighting with incompetent underlings. Finally one got the info to a competent tech. He reviewed it yesterday and restored our access to the site. It has been a Republican cluster f*ck! I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. Catching up will take a few days!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:25 (average 4:28). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0423TrumpVirusMap

Damn! Talk about sticker shock! The last time I did a TVU Trump’s* Republican murder total was only 8,454 dead.

My New Sweater:

0423JD1

JD made me this beautiful sweater! Thank, you, JD! This may also be my last pic with hair, as I have chemo again Monday.

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Well we knew it was just a matter of time, per The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Officials have identified seven people who appear to have contracted COVID-19 through activities related to the April 7 election, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said Monday.

Six of the cases are in voters and one is a poll worker, Kowalik said.

By the end of this week, officials hope to have additional information on the cases that were reported between April 7 and Monday, she said.

The Wisconsin GOP, the five SCOTUS Conservatives, Trump and all his enablers are responsible for this…

And all those Republican murderers, who voted, voted by mail. RESIST!!

From Salon.com: A Yale psychiatrist has warned that pro-Trump lockdown protesters, who exhibit similar psychology as “child soldiers,” could quickly turn into “armed troops in the streets” if the president loses his re-election bid.

Dr. Bandy X. Lee, a forensic psychiatrist at the Yale School of Medicine who has mostly taught at Yale Law School, said the armed protests were a natural evolution of the loyalty President Trump demands from his supporters. Many of these protests have evidently been organized by deep-pocketed groups allied with the president.Lee, the author of the textbook “Violence,” has been sounding the alarm about the danger posed by the president for years. She edited “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump” after his election, with a group of fellow mental health professionals. The book’s authors recently started a chat series entitled “Is America in an Abusive Relationship With Its President?”

Lee has also served as a project group leader for the World Health Organization Violence Prevention Alliance. She told Salon that Trump’s recent call to “liberate” Democratic-led states was a dog whistle to his core supporters.

I fully agree. Bill Maher and I have both suggested that criminal Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich will resort to violence to stay in power after they lose the election, unless they are able to steal it again! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Bob Dylan – Lay, Lady, Lay (Audio)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

52 Years Ago

Posted by TomCat at 11:13 am Editorial, Politics

Apr 042020

Fifty two years ago today I had “cleaned up for Gene”, sort of, and was working on his campaign, while fighting to keep SDS nonviolent. Back then, the world was not connected the way it it now. I did not watch TV every day, so I did not learn until sometime the next day that my hero and friend had been murdered. Barack Obama joined John Lewis in a tribute to his legacy.

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, and Wednesday marks the 50th anniversary of his death. In order to commemorate the occasion, Barack Obama discussed MLK’s legacy with John Lewis and a group of high school students in a new video released by the Obama Foundation.

At the beginning of the video, Lewis recalls where he was when he got the news that King had been shot — in Indianapolis, organizing a rally. Obama tells students from Washington, D.C.’s Ron Brown College Preparatory High School that Lewis was one of the people who made him want to become involved in public life.

“I thought that this would be a good opportunity to connect the people who inspired me with the next generation of young leaders who are going to be doing outstanding things themselves,” Obama tells the students, whose all-male high school grew out of the Obama administration‘s My Brother’s Keeper initiative…

Inserted from <Bustle>

Here’s that video.

Civil Rights leaders remembered him in a CNN interview.

The previous summer I was walking down the hallway after a planning session for one of Dr. King’s Vietnam Summer demonstrations. Dr. King appeared between two of us and told us how glad he was that young people were dedicated to continue the work after he was gone. I felt surprised and asked, “Gone?” He said that he was stirring-up a hornets nest didn’t know how long he would be allowed to live. In the naivety of youth, I assumed he was kidding.

He was right, of course. If he had stuck with civil rights, he might have died of old age. But when he also organized so effectively against the war, and for the poor, he was threatening billionaires’ profit.

It boggles my mind that this was over fifty years ago. That confronts me with my own mortality.

I’ll hope you’ll invest 43 minute to listen to his last speech, in which he predicted his own death.

RESIST!!

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