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Open Thread June 12 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:05 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 122024

Yesterday, Trinette’s son Zach was by to “mow the grass” (a very charitable euphemism for “mow thw weeds. And I did reach the exterminator, who confirmed they are coming in the late afternoon tomorrow. So that’s all good. Also, as I’m sure youall know, Hunter Biden was convicted of a gun felony. And then too, in case anyone cares, I looked up the no paywall link to the Rolling Stone article which captures the Alitos’ real political ideas. It’s here. And one last thing – the Theater of War production scheduled for 6 pm Eastern today was featured on PBS News Hour over the weekend and the segment can be streamed here if anyone is interested. I’m sure they aren’t finished with this project.

The Southern Poverty Law Center calls this geoup “The greatest threat to democracy you’ve never heard of.” The HuffPost Fringe shares the information.

I do hope TFG (Can also stand for That Felon Guy) doesn’t actually try this. However, as Virgil’s mother used to say, “Xit in one habd and hope in the other and see which gets filled first.

Open Thread June 7 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:01 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 072024

Yesterday, When I received an email from Thrater of War announcing that they are doing a performance in Times Square, i must admit my jaw dropped. It’s to be on the Red Steps, which didn’t exist the last ttime I was in NUC around 1970, so I looked it up, and yeah, I guess that’s a venue. But even in the evening I would expect there to be a whole lot of people in and around Times Square who are not there to see a performance. The play is Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” (which is analogous to the ttrue story of CoViD and Dr. Fauci), and the cast will include Bill Murray. It will be Zoomed (and no, you don’t need to download Zoom to watch. You would if you wanted to comment. I don’t have Zoom, nor do I have awebcam nor a working microphone and I receive their transmissions just fine.) I will tryto watch it – it’s next Wednesday, so if next Thursday’s Open Thread is a bit skimpy, you will know why. Also yesterday, I came across a new nickname “Rip van Stinkle.” (It couldn’t have been thought of before the trial.)

Well, clearly they don’t wait until someone’s on the Supreme Court without starting to buy them up. I know, that comes as no surprise.

Also clearly we can look forward to another Senator who pulls no punches. (But I will still miss Katie and Barbara.)

Open Thread June 4 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 042024

Yesterday, the Election Department advised me that my primary ballot is in the mail, and CPR advised me who the Deocratic candidates are for the 5th District. i’m not familiar with either name, so I’ll have to look both up. My district is the only one in the state which has never sent a Democrat to Congress, and we may well not get DNC support. However, two things are different this year. First, the District has gotten much smaller because of people moing in – which makes us more urban – and second, there is no incumbent. So it’s not impossible for us to have a chance. I’ll be voting this one with my head rather than my heart.

You may have seen this story – I’ve seen a couple of things on PFAs – but this is not just the story but the investigation details, straight from Pro Publica. When Pro Publica is shocked, the rest of us need to pay attention.

Robert Reich shows how the hard realities of income equality can (and do, and that’s no accident) get lost in statistics. I think of the old adage “Figures don’t lie. But liars do figure.”

Beau France

Cat

Open Thread June 3 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:46 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 032024

Yesterday, I saw Virgil. We both enjoyed the visit. He returns all greetings, and I didn’t get lost coming home this time. Also, the featured image today is different for a reason. See the first short take. (I may do this again, but if so, it will be very seldom and only for a strong reason.)

I often say I’m old enough to remember when honosable Republicans were a thing. Margaret Chase Smith is one of those I remember. To be honest, I don’t remember June 1, 1950 – I was two month short of five years old. But I do remember her, her name, and her excellent reputation always, bipartisanly. She was the first Senator to rebuke Joe McCarthy. Heather Cox Richardson describes the incident and the implications well. We need more Margaret Chase Smiths today (and alot fewer Marjorie Taylor Greenes).

Lots of people are making or sharing memes of what “not guilty” actually looks like. This post, regarding an exonerated member of the Central Park Five, demonstrates not only what it looks like, but also what it sounds like. (He is also now a New York City Councilman, so it’s also what a winner looks like.)

Open Thread June 2 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 022024

Yesterday, the radio opera was Cinderella (not the Italian “Cenerentola” by Rossini, but the French “Cendrillon” by Massenet, which is much more like the story as we know it, while the Italian one is funnier and played more for laughs.) Massenet is the composer who wrote “Thaïs”, and you have almost certainly heard the “Meditation” from that opera – it’s a solo violin over the orchestra, and so often played it’s almost elevator music now. “Cendrillon” has arias, but none that has been overplayed as a standalone, and is also very listenable, even full length and in French, and this was neither – it was one of the abridged versions the Met does especially for children, usually around New Year’s Day (which this performance was taped on in 2022.)

Just for fun. One for every two counts.

A glimpse of the MAGA universe. But they haven’t thought of everything. No one seems to wonder why, if this were all a setup by Biden, what on earth took him so long? Even if he were in cognitive decline (which I hardly need to say he isn’t), surely (in their world) he would have Machiavellian advisers (which he doesn’t – and apologies, Niccolo) who would have finished the job a couple of years ago.

Several people have put together memes or articles to make the point “This is what ‘Not guilty’ looks like.” Wonkette doesn’t even make that point, being so in awe of the gentleman’s classiness, but I make it, and it’s my favorite in that category.

Open Thread May 29 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 292024

Yesterday, I wasn’t able to get in touch with my plumber, so I’ll be trying again today.

On Sunday, Heather Cox Richardson wrote about Africa – its past, its present, and hopes for its future. Of course, when Trump** comes in the door hope flies out of a window. All of those hopes are dependent on heeping Joe and Kamala in the White House another four years. And frankly, I have fears for what may happen after that.

I realize this is late for Memorial day – but it’s also Robert Reich. And he also looks ahead with it so it’s more than just Memorial Day.

Open Thread May 24 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:12 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 242024

Yesterday, I picked up a new Randy Rainbow parody, the first one he has made since “Don’t Arraign on My Parade, which was 9 months ago. (He made an “Interview with Mike Johnson,” but it’s not musical.) This one is called “Forty-Five” and based on “Nine to Five.” Here’s the link.

This is just the introduction of a bill. It doesn’t mean it will pass, with or without amendments. But it is IMO a good, even a great, bill and long overdue. Kudos to Elizabeth Warren.

Well, this is – unfortunately – unusual. A littlr more of it and it would be more than Texas which would see improvement.

Open Thread May 23 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 232024

Yesterday, I observed that Donald Trump** is now claiming that Biden ordered him assassinated, specifically on the day of the raid on Mar-a-Lago. Magats are, frankly, to evil to eben be able to imagine a person who just wouldn’t do that, so perhaps we should counter with something like “Democrats get things done. If Joe wanted him assassinated, he’d have been assassinated. He wasn’t. End of story.” Also, among the petitions I signed was one for Thomas and Alito to recude from the Trump** immnity case. Actually, I’d rather leave those to on and have the three he nominated recuse.Knocking out those two still leaves it 4-3, and the best hope we have is for Roberts to do the right thing. But if we knock out Gorsuch, Javanaugh and Barrett, it’s now 3-3. Unless Roberts does the right thing, there’s an unbreakable tie.

I’m going to word my hanky alert differently on this by quoting Shakespeare’s Mark Antony: “If youhave tears, prepare to shed them now.” Yes, I’m preaching to the choir. But sharing it couldn’t hurt.

Just as I’m highly in favor of the National Interstate Popular Vote Compact, because I don’t see any possibility to amend the Constitution without the nation being able to see that the popular vote works, I also don’t see equirable tax reform happening unless people can see it works. That’s why I;m posting this,and enci=ourage sharing it as widely as possible.

And here is yet another article which desperately needs to be widely shared. I’ll try to help on this one with the”Food for Thought” cartoon below.

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