Open Thread October 8 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Politics
Oct 082025
 

Yesterday, I was checking my yahoo email account and started with spam. I saw an email whose sender name started with “Department of G” – that was as much as I could see and I needed the magnifier to read it – which is why I went to tutamail in the first place. That turned out to be “Department of Government Efficiency” – but a hover showed it was actually from a gmail address. As if we didn’t have enough government reality to be suspicious of – now we need to watch for scams masquerading as official scams. In other news, you may remember that, of all people, MTG is on our side on releasing the Epstein files. Well, now she is also on our side about the shutdown. I don’t know if my brain can handle it. Also, there was a lot of news about MAGA freaking out about Bad Bunny being booked for the Super Bowl halftime show (Bad Bunny is an American citizen by birthright).

Several topics here, at The F*News: the first is on Judge Immergut (you gotta love her name – “Always good” in German), but then it goes into Social Security cuts (mine for this month is in my account as “pending.” On Wednesday, the “pending” will disappear and my balance will reflect it) and two more. Along the way, Jonathan does a little bragging, which I certainly would too for the achievements he cites.

This week the Supreme Court’s term begins, and they will start hearing arguments again. Joyce Vance has posted the full calendar, through June, of which days are argument days, and the first two weeks of which cases when. And there’s more. Also, from a different site which included Joyce Vance in a video, the Supreme Court heard arguments on but did not decide one case last term – Louisiana v. Callais – and will be hearing arguments again on Wednesday, October 15. Meanwhile, the Election Assistance Commission has a comment period open on this case. Why is this important? Because all we have left of the Voting Rights Act is Section 2 (the Court previously overturned Section 5). This case could overturn Section 2. The link for comments is here. I have put up a separate post with suggestions for comments, because I have no link to it. The to-and-fro directions below the comments section should direct you to it. Although arguments are October 15, you have till October 20 to comment.

Dan Froomkin has put a lot of thought into his premise here. I don’t think he is seeing ghosts. Robert Reich has similar, though not identical, thoughts as this map he drew suggests.

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Open Thread October 6 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 062025
 

Yesterday, I went to see Virgil. As usual we played cribbage. Most of our hands were mediocre to dire, but what the heck. We play to pass the time in each other’s company, not to win. Before I left to go see him, I received an update from Carrie on Barry. It’s not as good as I had hoped, but it’s also not as bad as my worst fears. It’s short, so I’ll quote it in full: …

I wanted to let you know Barry will be transferred to a long term acute care facility sometime next week. He had a tracheotomy last week so they could get the tube out of his mouth. Since he is still on a ventilator, the tube goes through the tracheostomy. They have turned the ventilator off from time to time, but he is only able to breathe on his own for about 30 minutes. At least he is no longer under heavy sedation. At present he is completely paralyzed. I will be seeing him tomorrow for the first time since he had the tracheotomy. He cannot speak, but is still answering simple yes or no questions by blinking. Please keep praying for him.*

*Or as always, however you communicate with the universe.

Late breaking news

It’s easy to criticize the media, and the MSM in general is indeed doing a terrible job of getting out the truth about this regime. But maybe at least some of the problem is that, being unaccustomed to government lies and fraud on this scale, they really don’t know how to report it. And I have to agree that the method proposed here is simple, but by no means obvious.

From Robert Reich‘s keyboard to God’s monitor or iPhone, whatever he’s using these days.

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Open Thread October 5 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 052025
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte”, which at least for me is a good opera to not watch. Yes, it has some very funny sight gags, and depending on what time frame the director decides to stage it is, it may also have great visual appeal, such as costumes. I dressed a production once, and while I don’t claim it was great – there’s only one of me and I can only execute so much – but it was pretty. And of course it is Mozart. The only sour notes he ever wrote in his life were deliberate jokes, and there are none in this opera. But it is so terribly sexist, the premise is grossly unethical, and the antics are unbearably cruel. More and more directors are learning how difficult it is to handle the ending. And I don’t know what else you’d expect from an opera whose title can be translated several ways, one of which is “Women are all alike”, but all of which are slanderous. And I noticed today there is also a subtler message in it, with which I must also disagree: “Never trust your employee(s); they do not have your best interests at heart.”  Although Ana Maria Martinez, as the bribed maid, was clearly having the time of her life disguising her voice to go with her visual disguises. It’s not hard to hear why audiences love her. The new speaker works fine, and while it was a nuisance changing the old one out, it wasn’t as hard as I expected (I haven’t installed the second one yet.) I ordered them from “Wish,” which like “Temu” is based in China, but both have outlets all over the US, so one never knows where one’s order is shipping from. When I looked at the return address, it said it was from Ontario. Well, that’s one way to avoid or alleviate tariffs. I had to smile. Now I’m off to see Virgil. Of course I’ll check in upon return.

I did not see any follow-up on the Fat Bear contest, but Lona did, from an Australian media source. It was won by 32Chunk, and they think (and I agree) some of those votes were probably sympathy votes, because since last year, his jaw was broken, which made eating harder. But he also did get very fat. There are photos.

I’m posting this on Sunday because it is serious good news. News Outlets changing ownership is not generally good news, but this acquisition of The Root has the approval and support of one of the two original founders – Henry Louis Gates Jr. If he considers it good news, I say it’s good news.

It is amazing the things that the human body can do to itself – but also, perhaps even more so, amazing how good people can help individuals cope with and compensate for autoimmune conditions. I have one myself, and mine is annoying, and unsightly (but concealable), but at least not painful, or debilitating, or restrictive.

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Open Thread October 4 2025

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 042025
 

Yesterday, I awoke with the joint where my right thumb meets my right hand just throbbing. I rubbed some cold formula sore muscle rub on it, which helped, and I put on an arthritis glove, which also helped. But I haven’t had full use of it all day – so of course this was the day that FIVE packages came, and one was very heavy. I managed to get them all into the house but not all opened. One of them was my new speakers about which I’ll say more when I can type better (and have tried them out.) I forwarded an email to a few of you – not all, because I don’t have my mailing list complete, and I didn’t send it to anyone outside the US. It was an email warning that ICE is now actively looking for immigrant children. Here’s the link that Daily Dose of Democracy provided for more information. If you have children, or grandchildren, or great-grandchildren down to age 10, you need to see it. If you know anyone who does, you will probably want to share it. Also, Don Froomkin of Press Watch says the Chicago apartment raid needs more attention. Here’s the link to his analysis, and here’s another to Heather Cox Richardson. I haven’t read both through as I type, but but the time you see this, I may have managed to read through both. But maybe not.  Tomorrow I’ll be going to see Virgil.

This from The Root is directed to the Black community. I don’t want anyone to panic, but it appears to me that everyone should be aware of this, not just people of color and in other underserved groups.

Some of that silence was just protocol. Generals don’t applaud (or at least, not when in uniform. See the Hatch Act.) But the further they got into the meeting, and especially with the two jerks soliciting applause, the louder a statement it became.

When the ACA was passed, I had coverage from prior employment as a retiree, and soon after that from Medicare. As y’all probably know, Medicare is complicated enough, and I wasn’t working in insurance (I never actually worked with life or health insurance anyway), so I depend on journalists to give me a sense of who qualifies for what and why. Wonkette is not the obvious journal to go to for that, but I think Robyn has done an impressive job of clarifying this.

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Open Thread October 1 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Oct 012025
 

Yesterday, I did sleep late, although not as late as I dreamed I did (I dreamed I slept until today.) I saw several emails in my inbox leading to reviews of the Hogsbreath debacle, but Wonkette gave it the respect it deserved. Today is apparently the first day of a government shutdown. Expect pain – but what form it will take, I don’t know.

This does not by any means redeem the New York Times. (For one thing, I find it difficult to believe that the people who need to read or hear this the most actually read well enough to be bothered to read the Magazine section.)

Anyone who reads The Guardian is already aware of this. If you don’t read The Guardian, Wonkette will bring you up to speed. Not that it should be any surprise to anyone, of course. There’s a saying that people under 40 have the face they were born with, while people over 40 have the face they deserve. Miller just turned 40 this year, but I think he’s had the face he deserves for a very long time.

I’m not familiar with Futurism, so I looked it up at Media Bias/Fact Check, which says it is pro-science and mostly factual in reporting (not that I don’t also take that with a grain of salt.) I’m aware most people, including journalists, think this is Stephen Miller’s job, and I’m sure that it is, to an extent. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be others. And they may be working together, or in competition, or just separately.

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Open Thread September 30 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 302025
 

Yesterday, as usual on a Monday, I slept quite late. And today is the day of the “meeting” at Quantico. I may just sleep late again. I’d rather not even be awake, let alone reading about it, while Hogsbreath desecrates Quantico with his presence.

Well, this (Politico) is interesting. Not, I would say, surprising, but interesting

Resist. Persist. Repeat. It sounds so simple, doesn’t it. And it is simple. But simple is not the same thing as easy. The Conversation addresses why compliance can be so much easier than defiance, and what can be done about it.

There are two stories in this article from Wonkette, and either one might be accompanied by a tissue alert, so with the two together, I think the alert is necessary. Also, there’s more about the Roberts arrest here. However, there are hundreds, or thousands, of cases very much like these, and if we don’t take a closer look at some of them, we won’t grasp the full significance. Sometimes to see the forest, one needs to look at some of the trees.

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Open Thread September 28 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 282025
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” I had to use that laptop again, and I suppose I might have skipped it – it’s not as if I’d never heard it – it was one of the first operas I ever owned on vinyl. But it is also the opera which got me my “A” in Advanced Conducting. I’m actually a terrible conductor. But there’s one scena in Rigoletto that I knew I stood a good chance of putting across, and put it across I did – mostly with my face – not even controlling it – the music and situation just gave me the expressions. Also, the part of Rigoletto yesterday was sung by Quinn Kelsey, who recently got such an outstanding review in this role, and even specifically in that scena, that I wanted to hear whether he deserved it. Did he? Oh, yeah. I have never heard a baritone put as much feeling into “Io vo’ mia figlia…” as he did. And I have heard some great baritones sing it. The most famous excerpt from Rigoletto, of course, is the aria “La donna e mobile,” which is pure projection, and, although the word in that sense did not exist in 1851, I’m confident Verdi knew it (the plot of the opera itself belies the aria’s words.) But it’s also catchy, and he knew that too – so catchy that he hid it from everyone including the tenor until the day of the premier, and essentially locked the cast and orchestra up until the show opened. Opera was then so popular that by the time one opened, the town in which it was opening knew every note. But not this time. This time the audience was surprised, and completely won over. And, as projectionist as it is, it’s not really a bad thing it’s so popular and well known – it gives the ending even more punch. Today’s cartoon is a gif file that was used by Wonkette, and you will see why the late Queen Elizabeth liked to be surrounded by corgis – they were her secret service.  🤣

Fat Bear week – Sorry that this is too late to vote for – not that I could tell you how anyway – but the winner won’t be announced until Tuesday, so there’s that.

I love stories like this one from Good News Network. You’ve heard of win-win, but this is more like win-win-win-win. The animals are benefited, as well as the inmates. But so is the prison staff, because inmates in these programs are easier to work with. And so is the entire community, because the recidivism rate goes down. Kudos to Ohio.

This is not news at all – it is Borowitz. But I think TomCat would have loved it. So here it is.

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Open Thread September 26 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 262025
 

Yesterday, the electrician came and fixed my kitchen light in about 20 minutes. the problem was in the switch. He said that outlets and switches generally last abut 20 years (and I am at 23 – I had everything rewired before moving in in 2002.) And added that my switch box panel is in good shape (they last 30-40 years.) He only charged for a service call (I would have been happy with up to 3x the amount, or at least would have if parts had been needed.) It’s good to have light!

Last might Carrie B (NannyCarrie from Care2) emailed that her husband Barry is in the hospital with what they think is a brain stem stroke.  He can’t breathe without a ventilator.  She is terrified and asks for prayers, vibes, or as TC would say, however you communicate with the universe.  If anyone wants her email please let me know in a comment.

Well, we don’t have to go back to the Third Reich to understand the politicization of the military – the seventies and eighties are well within the lifetimes of most of us.

This link is to a petition, but scrolling down brings you to the article explaining why the petition. Please read that first. Then, if you want, feel free to sign. My goal is for you to be aware this is happening.

Since RFK Jr is so hung up on prenatal acetominaphen being the cause of autism (though autism has been around a whole lot longer than acetominaphen has), when I read this (and all of the comments -they contain many more stories as well as gratitude), I thought it might be good for us to have something more accurate – and more sane – to read on the subject

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