Open Thread for November 11, 2021

 Posted by at 6:41 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 112021
 

Yesterday, we were a bit shorthanded here. Pat took the day off for her birthday, and SoINeedAName’s computer suffered the Blue Screen Of Death so he was just able to post a short comment from his phone. Never a dull moment!

Cartoon –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short Takes –

Black Girl Dies by Suicide in Utah School District Rife With Racism
Quote – A 10-year-old Black girl who was a student in a Utah school district that had been the subject of a federal racism investigation hanged herself over the weekend, leaving her family distraught over what they say were unanswered calls to address bullying. The girl’s mom, Brittany Tichenor, said she had contacted the Davis School District “multiple times” to discuss how her daughter Isabella was mistreated by her peers after starting fifth grade just months ago. Through sobs, Tichenor described during a news conference the relentless teasing that her daughter—one of just a few Black students at the Foxboro Elementary School—had endured without much help from school administrators.
Click through for background and story – if you can stand to. Rest in peace, sweet Izzy.

Crroks and Liars – Wait Until You Hear Why Cop Didn’t Render Aid To Ahmaud Arbery
Quote – Former Officer Ricky Minshaw was asked by prosecutor Larissa Ollivierre how Ahmaud Arbery appeared when he arrived at the scene. Minshew said he was face-down and looked “unresponsive to his surroundings, he appeared to be deceased.”
Click through for a little more and a video.

KSL (Salt Lake City) – District investigates after teacher turns Veterans Day talk into message against vaccine, socialism
Quote – “It was just basically full of anti-Asian rhetoric talking about how people getting free handouts like food from the grocery store is anti-American and for lazy people….” The parent also claimed Law expressed his support for the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C., and that the “government telling us we should get vaccinated is the government being a bully and we need to fight back against the bullies.”
Click through for the whole disturbing tale. The station will not back up Linked in’s claim that he attended the Air Force Academy, but it’s certinly not impossible. The AFA has a long and notorious history of denyong church-state separation.

Food for Thought –

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Open Thread for November 4, 2021

 Posted by at 7:12 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Nov 042021
 

Yesterday, I overslept a biy – still tired from the day before. So I kind of took my time – and worked some on a new portrait doll. Otherwise, a quiet day.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The Daily Beast – Florida Trio Accused of Smuggling Guns to ‘400 Mawozo’ Gang in Haiti
Quote – Three Florida residents are facing federal charges for allegedly smuggling firearms from South Florida to leaders of Haiti’s notorious 400 Mawozo gang, recently accused of kidnapping at least 17 American and Canadian missionaries last month near Port-au-Prince.
Click through for the exact charges. Who did they think they were, the CIA?

Law & Crime – Woman Pointed Gun at 7-Year-Old Child Who Was Trick-or-Treating: Deputies
Quote – According to authorities, Bradford was yelling at nearby trick-or-treaters. Deputies did not explain how this escalated to her pointing a gun at the 7-year-old, or specify why she was mad in the first place, but that is what they alleged she did.
Click through for mugshot. There’s not much detail but the quote was so Dunning-Kruger I couldn’t resist.

Crooks and Liars – Everyone Is Watching Sir David Attenborough Today And You Should Too
Quote – The problem often feels too big for one person to understand, let alone make a difference in solving it. But Sir David Attenborough makes it EASY to understand…. I watched it this morning and feel BETTER and better informed on the topic of climate change than I ever have before. I hope you do, too.
Click through for video and full accurate transcript. We really need this.

Food for Thought –

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Video Thread 11/2/21

 Posted by at 11:27 am  Open Thread, Politics
Nov 022021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Email From Trump Team Lawyer John Eastman Further Proves Conspiracy to Overturn Election Results

Thom Hartmann – Why FDR Didn’t Expose The Business Man Coup SUCH a difference between Butler and Flynn!

Ring of Fire – Fox Host Gets Death Threats After Encouraging Audience To Get Vaccinated

Rebel HQ – Greg Abbott Reveals His Sick & Twisted Plan For Immigrants (Watch sitting down so you don’t get dizzy from the spin.)

Armageddon Update – They Aren’t Victims, They’re DEAD!

Yes, this is a commercial for Doritos – and yes, it has people grabbing hankies.
Nunca Es Tarde Para Ser Quien Eres (It’s never too late to be who you are)
VERY rough transcript translation: Grandma – My brother, how I miss you!
Family – gasps in surprise to see Albert
Albert – My family, how are you doing?
Father – Who is he?
Albert – He is Mario – my wunderful partner.
Grandma – It’s a miracle! I was afraid you would be alone forever!

Beau – Let’s talk about a Sputnik moment and it not being one….

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Video Thread 10/31/21

 Posted by at 11:57 am  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 312021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Bannon Indictment Watch Day 8: DOJ Has Yet to Indict Bannon for his Crime of Contempt of Congress

Meidas Touch – Let’s WIN Virginia! | 50K Doors in 50 Days

The Lincoln Project – Critical Race Theory

Robert Reich – What Happened to the Party of Limited Government?

MSNBC – The Purge Of GOP Truth Tellers Claims Its Biggest Trophy Yet (This is actually scarier than I was looking for…)

Hallowe’en – Vincent Price Performs The Thriller Rap Live 1987 Enhanced HD

Beau – Let’s talk about a leading cause, #SaferStorage, and T4CIP…. The date on this is 10/27, in case anyone wants to make a note of it. I have said for over 40 years that gun owners – responsible gun owners – should draft model legislation for public safety, or at least encourage it being drafted – because if they won’t, the resy of us most (and they will not like it.) Beau is the girst gun owner I have ever heard actually speak in this way.

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Video Thread 10/30/21

 Posted by at 12:13 pm  Open Thread, Politics
Oct 302021
 

Glenn Kirschner – Judge Beryl Howell Gives Voice to Our Frustration Regarding DOJ’s Handling of Insurrection Cases

Meidas Touch – Steve Schmidt issues DIRE warning: “The bad guys are winning”

Thom Hartmann – Jurors Have You Ever Listened To The Thom Hartmann Program? (Well, this is disturbing.)

RepresentUs – Gerrymandering Explained… With Pizza! (and this is just the beginning.)

Ring of Fire – Republicans Suddenly Worried That Embracing Conspiracy Theories Could Cost Them

Puppet Regime – Joe Biden’s Impossible Halloween Costume

Beau – Let’s talk about Levine, the first 4-star….

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Open Thread for October 28, 2021

 Posted by at 7:27 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 282021
 

Yesterday, I figured I couldn’t wait any longer, and started looking for cartoons to re-use for November. To be pellucidly clear, I started, randomly, in 2013, and have just stayed with that year, and my plan is to move up thrugh time, re-using when possible, and coming up with something new if the one for a particular day is hopelessly dated (for example, there’s one about Harry Reid’s balls.) It looks like I’ll need to come up with 6 new ones in November, and three of them are in the first teo weeks. So I stated looking at history. I found events for all 6 of them. I made the first one and found pictures for the next two before I ran short on time. But that’s a good start.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

The New Yorker (Borowitz Report) – Trump Tells January 6th Panel He Has Diplomatic Immunity as Russian Official
Quote – While Trump waits to see if his claim of diplomatic immunity succeeds, he is also prepared to argue that, having once hired Rudolph Giuliani as his attorney, he would be justified in pleading insanity.
Click through. Good luck with that. (BTW, unlike many of Andy’s reports, this one is clearly satire. For it to be straight news, Trump** would have to have told the truth, and that’s imposssible.)

Oh Sh*t, Dallas Teacher Did A Critical Race Theory To The Texas Wingnuts!
Quote – There’s not the slightest hint of CRT in having students read and analyze a text; if the lesson was supposed to “indoctrinate” the students, it didn’t work, since if anything I think the kid goes a little too easy on Cato’s methods, and doesn’t seem especially bothered that the email urges district employees to report on each other — then again, that’s a common enough method of enforcing discipline among students, so perhaps the kid doesn’t know just how creepy the tactic is.
Click through for details. It would be great if this teacher could be cloned and placed in every high school in t America. Teaching critical thinking skills “has not been tried and found wanting, but has been found difficult and left untried” (G. K. Chesterton) for a long time. This shows it can be done. I particularly like SPACECATS.

How commercialization over the centuries transformed the Day of the Dead
Quote – In 2019, I talked to a grandmother building a Day of the Dead ofrenda, an altar with offerings for her family’s dearly departed that included candles, food, flowers, and festive decorations. For years she’d tried to get her grandchildren to help her erect the altar for their ancestors, to no avail. It wasn’t until they watched Disney’s “Coco” and saw sugar skulls at Target that they took interest in the holiday. Now they eagerly help their grandmother build the altar. Commercialization is and has been transforming Day of the Dead. But, from what I’ve seen, it’s also giving a new generation a chance to be proud of their culture.
Click through for story. It’s a good point. Also, a pet peeve pf mine is that people criticizing advertising for a holiday too early don’t cut purveyors of craft materials and supplies any slack. If I am going to make a hiliday gift, a week before is not enough time. If I am making several, so much more so. There are 99 (at least) things to criticize Hobby Lobby about, but advertising Christmas too early is not one of them.

Signature-worthy IMO:
Bill Pascrell and Elizabeth Warren are looking for co-sponsors to nail Trump** et al.
https://action.billpascrell.com/crimes/?source=211026_bp_crimes_b1&link_id=1&can_id=dd94559fa9486ce8a4824766af6a024f&email_referrer=email_1336070&email_subject=will-you-sign-on-as-an-official-citizen-cosponsor-of-my-political-crimes-act-with-sen-warren-to-hold-donald-trump-accountable
I can’t shorten it or it won’t get you there, sorry. After you sign you’ll be asked for a contribution but it isn’t necessary.

Food for Thought –

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Open Thread for October 16, 2021

 Posted by at 7:15 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 162021
 

Yesterday, I put everything in place to quickly get out the door this morning. Of course that isn’t all I did … but it’s what mattered.   When this posts, I will be on the road.  ALSO, in case anyone did not receive the email from Malala Yousafzai, here is the petition she is asking as many as pissible to sign.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

AP News – Social Security checks getting big boost as inflation rises
Quote – The COLA, as it’s commonly called, amounts to an added $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates Wednesday from the Social Security Administration. It’s an abrupt break from a long lull in inflation that saw cost-of-living adjustments averaging just 1.65% a year over the past 10 years. With the increase, the estimated average Social Security payment for a retired worker will be $1,657 a month next year. A typical couple’s benefits would rise by $154 to $2,753 per month. But that’s just to help make up for rising costs that recipients are already paying for food, gasoline and other goods and services.
Click through for full story and human examples. Just on a ball park quote, I’m about at the average, maybe a trifle more. But I am comfortable because my needs are comparatively few. The truly average person needs more.

The Conversation – More ‘disease’ than ‘Dracula’ – how the vampire myth was born
Quote – The first known reference to vampires appeared in written form in Old Russian in A.D. 1047, soon after Orthodox Christianity moved into Eastern Europe. The term for vampire was “upir,” which has uncertain origins, but its possible literal meaning was “the thing at the feast or sacrifice,” referring to a potentially dangerous spiritual entity that people believed could appear at rituals for the dead…. The vampire served a function similar to that of many other demonic creatures in folklore around the world: They were blamed for a variety of problems, but particularly disease, at a time when knowledge of bacteria and viruses did not exist.
Click through for history. Yes, this is a fluff piece (HAppy Hallowe’en.) But interesting. Knowing how things get started is seldom wasted.

Mother Jones – Who Keeps Us Safe?
Quote – What happens next—a series of events involving a filming bystander, a burgeoning anti-police organization, court-ordered police reform, and Jones’ own mother—has everything to do with the questions many started asking after the murder of George Floyd. Are police the best way to keep us safe? Can they be reformed? Are they necessary—or even equipped—to respond to the mental and behavioral health issues that underpin many emergencies? And if not police, who? Jones’ experience might just point toward some answers.
Click through for details. These two incidents had some differences, but were very similar in key points. Both happened in the same city. The issues of policing may not be in the foreground at the moment, but IMO should not be forgotten.

Food for Thought –

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Open Thread for September 6, 2021

 Posted by at 6:55 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 062021
 

Yesterday, I dealt with the package from saturday which contained crafting supplies.. No, I didn’t make all the crafts, but I did get stuff put awaw. The other package was a small electronic with which I am still dealing. And rested.

Cartoon –

And, of course, I wish all a

Short Takes –

Crooks and Liars – Democrats Should Be Fighting The Next War, Not The Last One
Quote – Here’s my unpopular opinion: Getting angry at Susan Collins now is a waste of time. Okay, sure, get angry. But don’t fight the last war. We had a chance to defeat Collins in 2020, and we blew it, badly. She won by 9 points. She’s not up for reelection for another five years.
Click through for what do do instead. At least some of it. There’s probebly something in your own state which is also more constructive.

Washington Post – One tactic to stop abortion bounty hunters from demolishing women’s constitutional rights
Quote – When thinking about Texas’s nefarious scheme to deprive women of their constitutional right to seek an abortion, I am reminded of the tactics White segregationists used in the years following the Brown v. Board of Education decision…. In the case of Texas’s antiabortion law, state lawmakers know that Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land, establishing a woman’s right under the 14th Amendment to control her own reproduction. So they came up with the idea to enlist private citizens to rat out women exercising their constitutional rights. They offered these people a bounty of $10,000. Think of them as hiring every Texas resident (and residents outside the state!) on a contract basis to make abortion services virtually impossible to obtain.
Click through to the Washington Post for the full editorial, or click through to Democratic Underground for a larger excerpt. I was paywalled out of the Post myself, so I’m supplying both links.

Law & Crime – Biden Will Declassify FBI Documents on Saudi Arabia’s Role in 9/11 Terrorist Attacks — Here’s What the Order Says
Quote – “When I ran for president, I made a commitment to ensuring transparency regarding the declassification of documents on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America,” a press release announcing the executive order notes. “As we approach the 20th anniversary of that tragic day, I am honoring that commitment.”
Click through for details and context. Another step in the direction of transparency – and something to look forward to.

Food for Thought –

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