Open Thread–2/9/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:13 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 092020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. I’m feeling better than yesterday and WWWendy will be here shortly. This is my only article today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today,s took me 3:30 (average 5:55). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

A visual blast from the past.

Short Takes:From Mother Jones (H/T Daily Kos): Here’s something sleazy: In 2019, the state of Montana had to twice warn voters about mailers from the Republican National Committee disguised to look like official 2020 Census documents. They were actually requests for money and voter information to help re-elect President Donald Trump.

But the GOP hasn’t stopped.

In response to our recent request for your political mail, a Michigan resident sent us a document that looks almost identical to the one the GOP came under fire for last year. (We’ve lightly redacted the document.) Our reader isn’t alone—a Michigan TV station wrote about the practice causing “confusion” recently, too. We’ve contacted Michigan’s census officials and are awaiting comment.

Click through to view this Republican SCAM SPAM in it’s entirety! Is this sleazy? Yes! Is it typical of the Republican Reich? Hell, Yes!! RESIST!!

From YouTube (SNL Channel): New Hampshire Democratic Debate Cold Open

It’s nice to poke some good natured fun at our own candidates for a change. As much as Republicans need and deserve satire as disgustingly vile as they are, we need a brief break. RESIST!!

From KOIN: A rally planned by the Ku Klux Klan at the Multnomah County Courthouse was canceled Saturday hours before its scheduled start. But throngs of anti-fascist protesters arrived, leading to the arrest of 3 people.

About three hours prior to the KKK rally taking place, the Portland Police Bureau announced organizers — who they did not name — had backed out of the event early Saturday.

Before the arrests, Portland police said it was a peaceful demonstration.

Olivia Katbi Smith, the co-chair of the Portland Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, said hundreds came out to protest the KKK rally.

Kudos to the Democratic Socialists! Oregon Leads the way! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Harry Nilsson – Everybody’s Talkin’ (1969)

I loved his The Point Album. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Bill Maher from 2/7

Posted by TomCat at 10:34 am Politics

Feb 082020

It’s that time of week again, so here are 4 video clips, 3 of which are good, from Bill’s show last night. Enjoy!

Monologue: All Torn Up

Were all torn up, Bill. Any good week for criminal Fuhrer Trump* is a bad week for America.

24 Things You Don’t Know About Jared Kushner

They are all quite credible, especially #14

Steve Bannon and Bill Maher Go Head-to-Head

Although I agreed with most of his arguments, Bill still gives far too much publicity and far too much respect to Nazis!

New Rule: 100% That Mitch

That picture shows Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch creaming his bloomers. From beginning to end of this clip, Bill was spot on about Republicans!

Good show, except for Bannon.

RESIST!!

Open Thread–2/8/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:33 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 082020

I’m having a rough day. Although I haven’t barfed my breakfast, I have severe heartburn, and the Republicosis has returned. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, so please expect no more than an Open Thread. I hope your weekend is better than mine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:42 (average 4:31). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From ACLU: Voting should be as easy and convenient as possible, and in many cases it is. But across the U.S., too many politicians are passing measures making it harder to cast a ballot. The goal is to manipulate political outcomes, and the result is a severely compromised democracy that doesn’t reflect the will of the people. Our democracy works best when all eligible voters can participate and have their voices heard.

Suppression efforts range from the seemingly unobstructive, like voter ID laws and cuts to early voting, to mass purges of voter rolls and systemic disenfranchisement. And long before election cycles even begin, legislators can redraw district lines that determine the weight of your vote. Certain communities are particularly susceptible to suppression and in some cases, outright targeted — people of color, students, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most rampant methods of voter suppression across the country — and the advocacy and litigation efforts aimed at protecting our fundamental right to vote.

Click through for the best reference I’ve seen on voter suppression by the Republican Reich! RESIST!!

From YouTube (538 Channel): Who Won The New Hampshire Debate? Buttigieg? Klobuchar? Sanders?

Here’s my take on it. Buttigieg and Sanders ended in a virtual tie. Warren was third, in spite of being sabotaged by ABC news, who virtually ignored her all night. She got less time than Klobuchar, and WAY less time than Biden. Klobuchar was fourth. She seemed a bit desperate. Biden was fifth. He was more forceful, than before but was singularly unimpressive. Steyer is still trying to buy victory, and Yang is still a one trick pony. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Witnesses Left Scattered In Wake Of Trump Impeachment Scandal

Criminal Fuhrer Trump* always leaves chaos in his wake, as others bear the consequences of his never-ceasing crimes and incompetence. RESIST!!

Also from YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Secret Service Skipping Reports On Payment To Trump Resorts: WaPo

Meanwhile a Trump* appointed federal judge just ruled that Congress lacks standing to sue Trump* for emoluments violations. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Doors – Hello, I Love You

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/7/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:43 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 072020

It’s a lazy day here at the CatBox. On the plus side, I kept my food down yesterday and my breakfast, today. On the minus side, although my phantom nerve pain is gradually diminishing, it has cost me enough sleep over two nights that I’m dead tired. TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:57 (average 4:53). To do it, click here. How did you fo?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Alternet: Fox News host Sean Hannity boldly defended President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, by accusing Democrats of supporting “abortion after birth.”

There is no such thing as “abortion after birth,” as many on social media pointed out.

“It’s the party that wants to nationalize everything,” Hannity told his Fox News viewers. “Even supporting infanticide, and abortion after birth, as the Virginia governor told us.”

Again, there is no such thing.

Abortion after birth, were that possible, might not be all that bad in two instances. Hannity is one. The other wears an asterisk. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Iowa Caucus Glitch, Biden’s Drop, and Trump’s Acquittal

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right in everything he said. The Reich on the right, the Republican Reich, aka the Fifth Reich, is so evil that Hitler, Fuhrer of the Third Reich, stopped playing chess with Scalia long enough to express his envy of Fuhrer Trump*. I do like Lawrence’s idea of reorganizing the states to equalize the Senate and Electoral College. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman (from Black & White Night)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Samantha Bee from 2/6

Posted by TomCat at 8:58 am Politics

Feb 062020

It’s that time of week again, and here are 4 great video clips from Sam’s show last night. Enjoy!!

The State of Our Union is BAD

I’m inclined to think that the state of our union rhymes with upchucked.

The Art Of Health Care Haggling

My Medicare Advantage company owns my hospital, and they pay for virtually everything. But it should cover things it doesn’t: dental, vision, hearing, long term nursing home (when needed), and, if Trump steals the White House again, psychiatric care.

Dental Care IS Health Care

I, and the one tooth I have left, thank you for taking this stand.

Someone Needs To Check on Steve Kornacki

I’ve been following the Iowa shit storm for three days now. I feel really sorry for Steve.

Thanks, Sam!

RESIST!!

Open Thread–2/6/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:57 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 062020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. Store to Door is delivering groceries some time this afternoon. I hoped to get an early nap., My stomach acted up all day yesterday, and Stumpy has been underdoing a rare bout of phantom nerve pain for over 24 hours. It feels like someone is stabbing my left ankle with a knife, but I don’t have a left ankle. I hoped to get an early nap, but that appears unlikely. ARGH!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:03 (average 6:51). To to it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: In the aftermath of Pete Buttigieg’s strong showing in the Iowa caucuses, Donald J. Trump accused the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor of engaging in “suspicious travel” to Afghanistan.

“People are saying that he went to Afghanistan for seven months in 2014,” Trump told the hosts of “Fox & Friends” in a phone call. “Seven months is a long time to be running around in a Muslim country full of terrorists, don’t you think?”

He added that Buttigieg reportedly had a gun with him while he was in Afghanistan, a fact that Trump said “sounds fishy to me.”

“Let’s see, you fly all the way to a Muslim country full of all of these terrorists who need guns, and you’re bringing a gun into a country like that?” Trump said. “Who was he planning to give that gun to?”

“I don’t know if he was part of some caliphate or just helping them out, but we ought to find out,” he said. “I have a call in to the President of Afghanistan.”

Dang Andy! Do you think he was part of an evil conspiracy with gay Muslim terrorists? Far more likely, Trump* will get a second asterisk on his name from his coming “perfect” call to President Ashraf Ghani! RESIST!!

From YouTube (Trae Crowder Channel): Liberal Redneck – Pelosi Disrespects Trump

FOMCPIMPROTFLMAO! I could not agree more! RESIST!!

From YouTube (Jeff Merkley Channel): Statement on the Senate Impeachment Vote of Donald J. Trump

Spot-on, Jeff! Once again I’m proud to have volunteered for his campaign. Oregon leads the way! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Good, the Bad and the Ugly • Main Theme • Ennio Morricone

Ah… the spaghetti westerns! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/5/2020

Posted by TomCat at 9:19 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 052020

It’s a hectic day, here in the CatBox. I still haven’t recovered from Monday’s ordeal. Last night, I accidently heard part of Trump’s* address, almost lost my supper, and felt nauseous for the rest of the evening. This morning, I broke through three days of Republicitis. I’m hoping Republicosis does not follow it, as it often does. WWWendy is coming this evening, and I’m totally ready for de-stinking. Happy Hump Day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:55 (average 4:26). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: The Rotating (Regional) Primary Plan

Recommended by the National Association of Secretaries of State in 2000, this plan would divide the country into four regions—Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. There would be four primary days, one for each region. They would rotate every cycle. The original plan preserved the Iowa/New Hampshire duopoly, but just ditch it and rotate. Would work fine. Perhaps my favorite.

I guess I wasn’t the first to think of the idea I proposed yesterday. Great minds fall in the same ditch, after all. Please click through to see four more primary scheduling plans. RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: Calling the delay in the release of the Iowa caucus results “a threat to democracy,” the state of Florida has offered to help Iowa with the vote-counting process.

Harland Dorrinson, a spokesman for Florida’s official electoral commission, said on Tuesday morning that “Florida stands ready and willing to restore credibility to Iowa’s vote-tabulation procedures.”

Dorrinson added that Katherine Harris, Florida’s former secretary of state, was eager to “roll up her sleeves and clean up Iowa’s mess.”

“Just say the word, Iowa, and Katherine Harris will be on the next plane out,” he said.

Dang, Andy! Are you sure that’s Harland Dorrinson? I heard it was his brother, Chad! Or did they hang him? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence – Madison Square Garden, NYC – 2009/10/29&30

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/4/2019

Posted by TomCat at 10:20 am Open Thread, Plus, Politics

Feb 042020

Yesterday’s trip to the hospital was gruesome. TriMet Lift got me there an hour early, so I had to wait there for an hour. The tests, as I had told the doctors all along, was fine. Unlike my fart, my heart is completely healthy. They got done with me two hours early, so I called TriMet to see if I could get an earlier ride. No. In fact, they screwed up and did not pick me up for my 3:34 – 4:04 PM window until 6:10. That Lift Bus was crowded, so I did not get home until 7:25 PM, 25 minutes after my winter bedtime. Needless to say, I’m so pooped, I’m bleary eyed.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:49 (average 5:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

I’m on O₂ too. I’m not a Republican, so I’m not a moron.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): In What Amounts To GOP ‘Bluff-Calling,’ Joe Manchin Proposes Senate Censure Trump

I must be hallucinating from being over tired. I actually agree with DINO Joe! After the conviction vote fails, a foregone conclusion, I would support a censure vote, as a way to further embarrass Republicans, most of whom would goose-step with criminal Fuhrer Trump*. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Late Show Channel): GOP Senators Give Lame Excuses For Voting Against Witnesses In Trump Impeachment Trial

Lame excuses? Since when has the Fascist Republican Reich given any other kind? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Mamas & The Papas – Monday Monday

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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