Open Thread May 11 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 112026
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we played cribbage. He’s still having vivd dreams, but fornow, he knows they are dreams. Eventually he’ll forget that and I’ll have to explain it again. Our 42nd anniversary was last week, on Cinco de Mayo.

Robert Reich on Graham Platner. There are some Democrats who are seriously doubtful of Platner – mostly based on his tattoos, as far as I can tell. He probably got them when he was in the Marine Corps, for 8 years after graduated from high school (he remained a reservist afterwards and was deployed again multiple times.) His highest rank was Sergeant, and since he was in and active more than 8 years, I can pretty well guarantee he is not pro-establishment. I’ve known a whole lot of Marines who were fresh out of high school – they can be incredibly impulsive. And tattoos are probably the most regretted thing one can do as a young person. Anyway, after his initial active duty, he attended George Washington University, which is fairly prestigious. It’s private, so one gets no help from the government except the GI Bill (unless the government is sending you there to learn skills it want you to use for it, as happened to me.) You can get all thr scoop on him in Wikipedia, including some names of his endorsers, including, besides Robert Reich, Elizabeth Warren and others.

From NBC news, referred by Daily Dose of Democracy. This is a different strain of hantavirus from the one we in Colorado are familiar with, which is carried by deer mice and not transmissible from human to human. Given the current regime, I’m surprised that such precautions are being taken – but very grateful. (the mice that were in my house have all been house mice, not deer mice.)

Archived from Mediaite (because they want you to turn off your as blocker.) A little humor to help us keep going.

https://www.theroot.com/a-federal-judge-just-exposed-the-discriminatory-truth-b-2000104507
This is a few days old, but I thought it could wait – I didn’t see the MSM covering it under this regime. And it’s good news, as far as it goes. I hope it gets past SCROTUS still standing.

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Open Thread January 30 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 302026
 

Yesterday, Bruce Springsteen. And MayDay has an action going for tomorrow.

Medical professionals are well aware of this. When I was checking in to rehab in ’23 and was asked whether I had “Advantage,” I said something like “I wouldn’t have Advantage if they paid me to take it,” And the response was “Oh, you’re smart.”

ICE and CBP are just the tip of the iceberg in Minnesota. MAGA has always been full of vigilantes. Does anyone besides me wonder why, if they actually believe and trust the Saffron Sauron’s Keystone Cops, they think they have to handle it themselves?

I wholeheartedly agree with the business owner who says the “law and order” is not what is happening. But I disagree that it isn’t politics, because all politics is moral (or immoral.)

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Open Thread August 20 2025

 Posted by at 5:59 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 202025
 

Yesterday, I slept really late – like almost 4:00 pm. I was actually awakened by the refrigerator guy at the doorbell (I didn’t even know it could ring that loud.) But I needed it. I needed to use the TENs on my back at that spot I’ve been needing it off and on since TC was still with us – but my knees were so much better – not perfect, but I’m back in business. Also, we (Democrats) have a candidate opposing Susan Collins – but she is also getting primaried (or however that works in Maine – don’t they have ranked choice?) by a Republican – an oyster farmer (It’s silly, but somehow it nags on me that that should be an “oyster rancher.”) And one more news item – this one from Texas.

I apologize for the disgusting nature of this article from The 19th. Unfortunately, to get at the whole truth, it’s sometime necessary to face disgusting facts. And neither misogyny nor cryptocurrency is a fringe issue. Both are capable of being used (and are being used) to silence us and keep us down.

Mail-in ballots. Certainly, without them, my vote would not get counted. But I wouldn’t expect anything but disinformation from a person who lies like the rest of us breathe.

“Political Primate” is a new YouTube channel (started 7/22/25) depicting an ape (I’m no primatologist, but I think maybe an orangutan) speaking political commentary in a beautiful bass voice. Whatever he is, he is clearly highly educated, and far more intelligent than our current regime.

I’m using a Robert Reich video today instead of Belle, essentially because he asked me to. There’s a lot in it that I can’t do – but I am doing what I can. (I got a smile out of noticing that Reich watches Farron.)

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Open Thread August 13 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 132025
 

Yesterday, I overslept the way I usually do on Mondays. Most Mondays are not as stressful as this Monday was, though. Also yesterday, an email from Just Foreign Policy (which links only to a donation request dressed as a petition) that “Israel just killed 5 journalists in a single strike…. Their names join a devastating list: nearly 270 journalists have now been killed over the course of this war – the deadliest conflict for reporters ever recorded.” I hope no one tells the Mango Monster, or he’ll try to break the record. And one other thing – if you have been worried about me in connection with Colorado’s wildfires and smoke particles, all of them are on the opposite side of the peaks of the Rockies from me. Yes, all of Colorado is at a pretty good altitude, and the prevailing winds go towards me from the fires, but there’s still roughly a 7000 foot (2134 m) barrier between them and me. I have not noticed anything, and I think they are going over my head.

https://thefuckingnews.substack.com/p/senate-hopeful-calls-national-prayer
And Jordan Good, as reported by The F* News, is 100% correct. He is running to unseat Susan Collins, and we (and by we I mean all the sane people in the US) desperately need him and more like him. So I hope his honesty does not hurt him at the ballot box.

joycevance.substack.com/p/when-the-president-becomes-the-police
Joyce Vance runs through the cold, hard realities of he law regarding the Golden Godzilla’s latest power grab in DC. It’s a pity we didn’t listen to voices recommending statehood for DC and Puerto Rico before he .took office. If we ever get even the slimmest trifecta again, that is something that needs doing.

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-trial-run?
Robert Reich, on the other hand, runs through what to look for and how to interpret how bad it is and why, depending on the responses to the attempted takeover. The two together appear pretty comprehensive to me.

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Open Thread February 24 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 242025
 

Yesterday, Virgil and I played cribbage – and did some reminiscing about Fred, which was bittersweet. His legacy – the station announced his passing on Thursday and started then playing comments from other announcers, former announcers, the manager, former managers, and listeners about their memories. They continued all day Friday – except for a two-hour special featuring more comments and his favorite music. Than they continued interspersing comments all day Saturday (except for the opera – it runs live so there’s no way for an individual station to carve out any time, and besides, Fred would have hated that – he loved opera at least as much as I do – probably more.) Then yesterday it continued. It may continue today. I’m certainly not tired of it.

There is a lot of good-to-know information in this The F* News article. The Governor of Maine is just the hors d’oeuvres, if you will. What convinced me to post it was its explanation, complete with links to evidence, of why having a Medicare Advantage plan is literally paying for the privilege of having your claims denied.

I don’t watch network TV, or any TV really – if you do, you’ve likely heard that Joy Reid (Th Reid Out) has been fired from MSN. I expect some of you have already given up on MSN – numerous people at site I read which allow comments certainly have. I still feel that Lawrence and Nicolle are valuable, and also Rachel is back daily, I believe for the first hundred days of the present administration only, but it’s something. I also note – at the link – that Meidas Touch offered her a position before the ink was dry on the pink slip (metaphor – I know no one uses ink on paper any more.) I personally find Meidas Touch difficult to listen to, but I know that’s just me, and I am extremely grateful for the work they are doing.

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