Open Thread March 2, 2022

 Posted by at 6:49 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 022022
 

Yesterday was a fairly quiet day. I got a little knitting done … but didn’t really push.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Down With Tyranny – Democrats Seem To Think Trump Stole The Documents To Hide Stuff– I Think They’re Naïve And Wrong
Quote – People who think Trump stole the material because he was trying to hide his own misdeeds in office– as many members of Congress I spoke with have told me– are barking up the wrong tree. Trump was peddling the plans for Fort Ticonderoga, 2022 version.
Click through. I fear he is correct, both about what Trump** is doing, and also about the fact that most Democrats are not devious enough to even think of it. (Crooks and Liars also has the story, reprinted.)

There Are Many Words for Vladimir Putin. Is “Strongman” One?
Quote – But Nina Khrushcheva, an international-affairs scholar at the New School and the great-granddaughter of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, tells me she isn’t so much concerned about whether the word is euphemistic as she is that it’s misplaced: “Putin was referred to as a ‘strongman’ back in the 2000s when he was a baby lamb compared to today…Putin now has gone far beyond being a strongman. He is a full-blown despotic, ruthless megalomaniac on par with Stalin and Mao, and proud of it.”
Click through for discussion. I think the term they are all looking for is “toxic masculinity.” That does not imply (contrary to Republican whining) that all musculinity is toxic any more than the term “Counterfeit money” implies that all money is counterfeit.

Womens History – Wonkette – Meet Alice Hamilton, The Patrician Woman Who Saved Your Grandpa From (More) Lead Poisoning
Quote – Hamilton was deeply committed to helping the poor. So she moved into Jane Addams’s Hull House. Living with the poor, she became interested in the problems of workplace health and safety — for good reason. Workers lived atrociously unsafe lives on the job. Many jobs were exercises in seeing how long you could live before you died or lost mental or physical capacity due to the poisons you ingested or absorbed. This is entirely besides the dangers of being burned or decapitated or electrocuted on the job. A poor worker in an American factory was one who might well not live long. Hamilton became an expert on industrial medicine, which wasn’t that hard because it was barely studied in an America utterly indifferent to the question.
Click through for story. This is written – how should I say it – more respectfully than Wonkette’s usual style. But then, the subjuect is more worthy of respect than Wonkette’s usual subjects.

Food For Thought:

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Video Thread 12/17/2021

 Posted by at 11:47 am  Open Thread, Politics
Dec 172021
 

Glenn Kirschner – House Committee Votes Meadows in Contempt; Says Insurrection “Runs Right Through Mark Meadows”

Meidas Touch – Fox vs. Fox: Private Messages | #FoxRuse

The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party

MSNBC – Warnock To Senate Democrats: Bipartisanship At Whose Expense? (May I say Warnock rocks?)

Don Winslow Films – #NameTheTraitors (Yeah But. Even traitors deserve due process. And these particular ones are so placed as to avoid acountability if they don’t get it.)

Really American – Fox Hosts and Don Jr. EXPOSED re Jan. 6th Lies (I sure could use that emoji.)

Beau – Let’s talk about coup by PowerPoint…..

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Open Thread – 3/7/2021

 Posted by at 10:25 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 072021
 

It’s a very tired day here in the cat box.  For the last week I had a pants load of long appointments setting up my hospice services, and all that chair time exacerbated my back pain.  My hospice nurse adjusted my methadone dose to my new level of pain.  That was too high for my normal level of activity, causing all the side effects.  I told her that’s what I thought, and she agreed to put me back to 10 mg methadone every eight hours.  I’m feeling better.  Here is my new schedule.  This is what I said I would explain today.  Monday is a Wendy day, usually in the evening.  Thursday a shower aide comes around 9 AM.  Then Store to Door delivers groceries between 11:30 AM and Noon.  That will be a rough day.  Saturday morning is a Wendy day.  My hospice nurse will come every two weeks on Monday.  Then I will have occasional visits from Jo, the chaplain.  I like her.  She is an authentic Christian and loves the definitions for Republicitis and Republicosis.  So except for the initial confusion everything is doing pretty well.  Nevertheless, it will take a few days for me to catch up on sleep.  May you be well and truly blessed this Sunday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:41 (average 4:56).  To do it, click here.  How did you fo?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos:

…”It will be a Democratic Party Armageddon in 2022 if we sit here on our butts and say, ‘Oh, we’re sorry, we’re not as determined to get our agenda passed as Republicans were,'” Sen. Jeff Merkley, the Oregon Democrat spearheading filibuster reform efforts, told the Post. He’s right. With the Supreme Court seemingly ready to gut the remains of the Voting Rights Act and 43 states considering some 253 voter restriction bills, it could be Armageddon for Democrats. If the elections reforms passed by the House don’t become law, Democratic voters will be blocked from the polls. If President Biden’s critical agenda to address the pandemic, economic inequality, climate change, immigration—everything!—is stymied, Democratic voters won’t want to go to the polls in 2022.

Biden sure as hell recognizes that. That’s why the former longtime member of the Senate is open to filibuster reform. “One thing that is nonnegotiable is him delivering for the American people,” Emmy Ruiz, the White House political director, told the Post. “The number one priority here is to get this agenda, this bold agenda, passed through Congress.” Another White House official said the “‘strategy is adjusting every single day,’ reiterating Biden’s position that the filibuster is not sacrosanct while the agenda is.”…

Jeff could not be more correct. Oregon leads the way!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Trump State Department official charged for attacking police in Capitol riot

Could the Republican Reich be more guilty of treason than this?  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Crimson and Clover – Tommy James & The Shondells

Ah… the memories!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Don’t Let Republicans Steal YOUR Future!!

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Open Thread – 2/14/2021

 Posted by at 10:52 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 142021
 

This is not a full Open Thread, but it’s more than a Personal Update.  It’s a busy day, because I have to completely reorganize my diet, given the new set of problems I’m facing.  The snow storm has degenerated into an ice storm.  TriMet  has suspended all all bus, train, and lift service.  Please, let me wish you all a Happy Valentines Day with love and gratitude to each of you.  Tomorrow is a WWWendy Morning, so please expect no more than a Personal Update. from me.  Sunday Hugs with Red heart.

Jig Zone Puzzles:

Yesterdays took me 6:10 (average 4:55).  To do it, click here.  Today’s took me 3:12 (average 4:57).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Me: Here are my thoughts on the Senate trial and treason by all but seven Republican Senators.  Many on the left are very upset with Democrats’ decision not to call witnesses, and are accusing those Democrats of selling out the country for their Valentines recess.  That’s hogwash!  If they had decided to call witnesses, Republicans would have used it as an excuse to depose hundreds of witnesses and tie the Senate’s hands for months preventing any work on confirmations, GOP plague relief, saving the earth, human rights, and all the other things Democrats need to get done to prove to the American people that they made the right decision to elect Democrats in the last election.  In the end, all but seven Republicans would have voted in favor of treason anyway.

Many Republicans now say that Trump** was guilty as hell, but alas, their hands were tied, because they could not impeach someone who was no in office. I won’t post video, but that was exactly the reason that filthy bastard, Bought Bitch Bullshit Traitor Mitch, said he had to vote to acquit.  However, the only reason the trial did not take place, while Trump** was in office is that Bought Bitch Bullshit Traitor Mitch was Majority Leader until Trump** left office and prevented the trial from taking place then. 

Finally, as much as we hoped for a different outcome, we never expected to win this one.  Our job just isn’t done yet.  As long as the RNP exists, America will be in grave danger.  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): For What It’s Worth

 

Ah… the memories!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

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Open Thread – 2/11/2021

 Posted by at 11:23 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 112021
 

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox.  Store to Door is delivering groceries, and I have to unpack and put them away.  Tomorrow my hospital appointment is later than normal, so Wendy will be here first thing in the morning to give me my shower.  Then I dress, and we head to the hospital in the blizzard.  I hope to return mid to late afternoon, at which time, I’ll be completely exhausted.  Portland is under a Winter Storm Warning with 10″ or more of snow forecast to accumulate between now and Saturday afternoon.  Tomorrow expect only a brief Personal Update.  I’ll try to add a home safe comment when I return.  Have a great day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:23 (average 7:14).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Alternet: As other networks airing Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial on Wednesday showed chilling new video footage of the deadly January 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol incited by the former president, Fox News opted to cut away to cover different stories.

How vile! God forbid that the fools, who watch the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, should get to see what really happened!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (NBC News Channel): Day 2 Of Donald Trump’s Impeachment Trial In The Senate

 

This video is 11 hours long, and I put it here so you can skip through it for parts you may want to see.  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): California Dreamin’

 

Ah… the memories!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

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Open Thread – 2/5/2021

 Posted by at 11:35 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 052021
 

It’s a painful day here in the CatBox.  Stowing the groceries yesterday was difficult.  Tomorrow please expect no more than a Personal Update.  WWWendy is coming in the morning.  Have a great day, and TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:20 (average 6:51).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Calling it “the best news I’ve had in months,” Donald J. Trump has excitedly accepted congressional Democrats’ offer to star in a new, nationally broadcast television show.

Trump boasted to reporters about his new TV opportunity, which was presented to him, on Thursday, by Representative Jamie Raskin.

“It’s going to be similar to ‘The Apprentice,’ because I’ll be sitting behind a table, but it will also be a little different,” Trump explained. “Instead of me asking a lot of questions, people will be asking me the questions. That should spice things up.”

The former President said that the “most amazing” aspect of his new show would be the number of networks broadcasting it.

Dang, Andy!!  Hopefully the follow up will a show about the Orange Pervert** broadcast from prison cell.  It will be called: Orange** is the New Red!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Daily Kos: On Tuesday, the body of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed by pro-Trump insurrectionists during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, was laid in honor in the Capitol Rotunda. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived that evening to pay their respects. Americans were able to watch the ceremony on multiple news channels—but not on Fox News. On Fox News, Sicknick’s ceremony was barely mentioned.

Instead, Fox News’ ever-frothing opinion hosts did what they do best: stoke audience panic over all number of bizarre side issues, from a barrage of far-right conspiracy theories promoted by the fascist Laura Ingraham to Sean Hannity’s important report that somebody got ejected from a Lakers game “FOR HECKLING LEBRON.”

Fox’s attempt to mostly pretend Sicknick’s ceremony was not happening did not go without notice. In fact, it seems pretty much everybody noticed it, to the point that both blasting and mocking Fox for their silence became the evening’s hot Twitter pastime.

Most of the criticism noted that Fox News had long pretended that “Blue Lives Matter,” only to have it not matter at all when it came to an officer murdered by a Trump-devoted mob. The Washington Post even put some numbers to it with an analysis of how often the network even bothered to mention Sicknick compared to competing networks, even after the network ran “thousands” of segments about other police deaths during the previous four years.

Accusing Fox News of hypocrisy over the death of police officers, however, is giving them far too much credit. Fox News is not minimizing the death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick because they wish to downplay the violence of Trump supporters toward police. Fox News is minimizing Sicknick’s death because they are accessories to his death.  [emphasis added]

Click through!  This author (Hunter) could not be more spot on!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): No Apology From Greene As House Removes Her From Committees

 

Thanks to the 11 Republican Representatives that voted for America and against the Nazi Republican Reich. But the sad fact that there were so few of them  is ample evidence to show which side the Republican Party is on.  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Dust in the Wind

 

For me, this seems particularly appropriate at the moment.  Ah… the memories!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

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Open Thread – 1/25/2021

 Posted by at 11:19 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 252021
 

It’s a tired/painful day here in the CatBox.  Due to Republicitis, I plugged the toilet so bad that it won’t plunge, and I had to call Maintenance to come snake it.  They should be here around lunch time.  Dang that’s embarrassing!  My Video Meeting yesterday turned out to be with volunteers only, but it was still a good time.  Yesterday, I was disappointed that Tampa Bay beat Green Bay.  I don’t like Tom Brady.  He deflates his balls and lives Trump**.  However, both my Chiefs and Nameless’ Chiefs won.  WWWendy is coming this evening.  Since Trump** is out, Oh Wow!  It’s Monday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:06 (average 5:28).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Crooks and Liars: It’s no shock that both the campaign and the officials on the permit are all trying to erase their connections. From AP:

In a statement, the president’s reelection campaign said it “did not organize, operate or finance the event.” No campaign staff members were involved in the organization or operation of the rally, according to the statement. It said that if any former employees or independent contractors for the campaign took part, “they did not do so at the direction of the Trump campaign.”

At least one was working for the Trump campaign this month. Megan Powers was listed as one of two operations managers for the Jan. 6 event, and her LinkedIn profile says she was the Trump campaign’s director of operations into January 2021. She did not respond to a message seeking comment.

The AP’s review found at least three of the Trump campaign aides named on the permit rushed to obscure their connections to the demonstration. They deactivated or locked down their social media profiles, removed tweets that referenced the rally and blocked a reporter who asked questions.

“Shell companies and ‘dark money’ may hide details of Trump ties to DC protests,” OpenSecrets.org reports. But not all. For example, Open Secrets found that Powers was paid about $290,000 by Trump’s campaign while on its payroll from February 2019 through at least November 2020, according to FEC records.

 

This shows the degree to which the RNP (Republican Nazi Party) orchestrated the insurrection. The included video (above) is the best analysis of this I’ve seen.  It also shows how vicious they are.  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From NY Times: Two days after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, Jackson Reffitt’s father, Guy W. Reffitt, returned to the family’s home in Texas. He told his son that he had stormed the Capitol, according to an F.B.I. affidavit.

Then his father leveled a threat: If Jackson, 18, reported him to the police, he would have no choice but to do his “duty” for his country and “do what he had to do.”

In interviews with investigators, Jackson Reffitt said his father told him: “If you turn me in, you’re a traitor. And you know what happens to traitors. Traitors get shot.”

But he had already reported his father to the F.B.I. weeks before the riot.

How can anyone wield enough hate to say what Gut Reffitt said to his son?  Jackson deserves an award for his patriotism and courage. This demonstrates the degree to which the RNP (Republican Nazi Party) are pure evil and must be eradicated as a political entity.  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): George Harrison – My Sweet Lord (Official Audio)

 

Ah… the memories! What a magnificent hymn!  And at last we have reason to rejoice!  RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

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