{"id":14003,"date":"2014-10-30T00:00:57","date_gmt":"2014-10-30T07:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=14003"},"modified":"2014-10-30T00:01:38","modified_gmt":"2014-10-30T07:01:38","slug":"open-thread10302014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2014\/10\/30\/open-thread10302014\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–10\/30\/2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m writing for tomorrow, day 192.  Yesterday's CoDA meeting in prison went very well.  The guys dug pretty deeply into personal issues.  I mostly listened, and I can’t get into the things they said without violating their confidentiality..  Groceries are delivered and put away.  My attention is divided, because it’s the bottom of the 5th, with 2 outs.  Tomorrow I have to be ready to leave bright and early for my pulmonologist’s appointment (routine), and will probably not be back until mid afternoon, so my most likely posting for Friday will be a Personal Update and a holiday greeting.  Here’s hoping.<\/font><\/p>\n

Late Update: Condolences to Nameless.  It was a good close game.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today’s tool me 3:24 (average 5:33).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From Daily Kos<\/a> (Hat-Tip  JL A, Pat B, and James Maynard, all from Care2): <\/font>Living with a cat for the first time, you quickly pick up on its behavioral quirks, many of which are common among other cats. What you soon find out is that cats aren't Republican. Here are 12 reasons why not:<\/p>\n

1. Cats are curious about what you do in your bedroom, but they don't try to legislate away your freedom to do it.<\/p>\n

2. Cats may take away your cushion, but they'll give it back to you with a gentle push.<\/p>\n

3. Cats give you attention and sympathy when you're sick.<\/p>\n

4. Females are treated with importance in the cat world.<\/p>\n

Click through for the other eight. I'll add number thirteen. Even a neutered cat has more integrity in his kitty dingles than there is in all Republican officeholders combined.<\/font><\/p>\n

From The New Yorker<\/a>: \\<\/font>With just one week to go until the midterm elections, a new poll indicates that billionaires are likely to retain control of the United States government.<\/p>\n

The poll, conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, shows that the proxy candidates of billionaires are likely to win ninety-eight per cent of next Tuesday’s races, with the remaining two per cent leaning billionaire.<\/p>\n

Although the poll indicates that some races are still “too close to call,” the fact that billionaires funded candidates on both sides puts the races safely in their column.<\/p>\n

Andy isn't that far from the truth. Fortunately, most of the billionaires backing Democrats are not plutocrats.<\/font><\/p>\n

From Upworthy<\/a>: <\/font>Fact: The political system in America is completely broken. And a huge reason it's gotten so bad is the influence of the almighty dollar. Understanding how we got to this point is both fascinating and utterly maddening.<\/p>\n