{"id":16030,"date":"2015-09-15T22:56:25","date_gmt":"2015-09-16T05:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=16030"},"modified":"2015-09-15T22:56:25","modified_gmt":"2015-09-16T05:56:25","slug":"squatchs-open-thread-15092015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2015\/09\/15\/squatchs-open-thread-15092015\/","title":{"rendered":"Squatch’s Open Thread 15\/09\/2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today has been a long day for me, taking my mother to a specialist doctor's appointment.  In July, she had botox injections for muscle spasticity as a result of dementia.  I am happy to report that the shots have made a difference to her pain level and quality of life.  The problem today . . . the doctor's office is on the third floor and there is only one elevator.  Sometime after we arrived, the elevator broke down so anyone in a wheelchair is stuck waiting.  There we waited for 2 hours.  That set my day back.  The good part . . . at least we weren't stuck IN the elevator!<\/span><\/p>\n

Fantasy Football<\/span><\/strong> — I hope that this works out.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/th>\n <\/th>\n <\/th>\n <\/th>\n <\/th>\n <\/th>\nPoints<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Rank<\/a><\/th>\nTeam<\/th>\nW-L-T<\/th>\nPct<\/th>\nStk<\/th>\nWaiver<\/a><\/th>\nFor<\/a><\/th>\nAgainst<\/a><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\n\n

\"Playing<\/a>Playing without a helmet<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

1-0-0<\/td>\n1.000<\/td>\nW1<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n118.24<\/td>\n116.10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\n\n

\"Progressive<\/a>Progressive Underdogs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

1-0-0<\/td>\n1.000<\/td>\nW1<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n102.86<\/td>\n70.20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\n\n

\"Monster<\/a>Monster Mashers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

1-0-0<\/td>\n1.000<\/td>\nW1<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n98.12<\/td>\n89.62<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\n\n

\"MittsMagicJock\"<\/a>MittsMagicJock<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

1-0-0<\/td>\n1.000<\/td>\nW1<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n89.04<\/td>\n79.56<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\n\n

\"endthegop\"<\/a>endthegop<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

1-0-0<\/td>\n1.000<\/td>\nW1<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n83.24<\/td>\n80.94<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\n\n

\"Purple<\/a>Purple Demon<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

0-1-0<\/td>\n.000<\/td>\nL1<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n116.10<\/td>\n118.24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\n\n

\"BALCO<\/a>BALCO Bombers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

0-1-0<\/td>\n.000<\/td>\nL1<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n89.62<\/td>\n98.12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n\n

\"Lefty<\/a>Lefty Hillbillies<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

0-1-0<\/td>\n.000<\/td>\nL1<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n80.94<\/td>\n83.24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\n\n

\"Size<\/a>Size 9 Stompers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

0-1-0<\/td>\n.000<\/td>\nL1<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n79.56<\/td>\n89.04<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\n\n

\"TomCat<\/a>TomCat Teabag Trashers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

0-1-0<\/td>\n.000<\/td>\nL1<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n70.20<\/td>\n102.86
\n\t\t\t\t <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It would appear that TC and I are at the bottom of the league.  He has an excuse.  What's mine?<\/span><\/p>\n

Puzzle<\/span><\/strong> — Today’s took me  3:44 (average 4:51).  To do it <\/span>click here<\/span><\/a>.  How did you do?<\/span><\/p>\n

Rolling Stone<\/span><\/strong> — This is the present, and the future, of climate change. Our overheated world is amplifying drought and making megafire commonplace. This is happening even in the soggy Pacific Northwest, which has been hard-hit by what's been dubbed a "wet drought." Despite near-normal precipitation, warm winter temperatures brought rain instead of snow to the region's mountains. What little snow did hit the ground then melted early, leaving the Northwest dry — and ready to burn in the heat of summer.<\/p>\n

The national data is as clear as it is troubling: "Climate change has led to fire seasons that are now on average 78 days longer than in 1970," according to a Forest Service report published in August. In the past three decades, the annual area claimed by fire has doubled, and the agency's scientists predict that fires will likely "double again by midcentury."<\/p>\n