Yesterday, I worked my butt off. Defrosting the refrigerator took nine hours, changing four containers of hot water and emptying the drip pan every half hour. In addition the NFL website accidentally locked a member of our fantasy football league out, and I had to figure out how to get him back in control of his team. I probably should have waited. He plays me this weekend and will probably say shanks by beating my arse. Moreover, I had to make a quick run to the store, and when I returned, did my online grocery shopping for the month. I missed a lot of sleep time. I’m current with replies, but was very brief. Tomorrow, I have errands and will try to rest.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 5:05 (average 5:04). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The Guardian: Civil rights and immigrant support groups have filed an appeal against a federal judge’s refusal to block key parts of Alabama’s tough new immigration law, regarded as the most draconian in the country.
The groups, along with the US justice department and church leaders, had filed three separate challenges to the law, which critics argue would legalise racial profiling. But on Wednesday US district judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn refused to block most of the provisions, allowing Alabama to require public schools to determine the immigration status of children upon enrollment and giving police the power to detain people suspected of being in the US illegally without bail.
This bill was based on Arizona’s racist measure. Needless to say, the judge is a Republican activist.
From Washington Post: On Capitol Hill, Thursday was a rare day in which the House could do something important by doing nothing at all.
The task: stave off a federal government shutdown by passing a budget extension that would get the government through the weekend. It wouldn’t require a vote. It wouldn’t even take the whole 435-member House.
Because of an unusual procedural tactic, all that was required was for a handful of lawmakers to show up — and then shut up. Their silence would be interpreted as “unanimous consent,” and the bill would pass.
Democrats did not mind this dubious tactic, because it represents a victory for them over Republican economic terrorism. But mark my words. We will see it again at a time when it is not welcome.
From Beyond Chron: While GOP politicians scream about “class warfare” when Democrats talk about raising taxes for those making over $1 million a year, a new poll by Public Policy Polling shows 73% of the American public support that idea. While that result is consistent with what we’ve seen in other polls, far more interesting here is the crosstabs. Not surprisingly, 78% of Democrats support the so-called “Warren Buffet Rule” – that those making over $1 million should not be paying a lower tax rate than the rest of us. But so do 73% of independent voters, and even 66% of Republicans. When you ask respondents who identify with the Tea Party, we still have 52% in favor – with 29% opposed.
The pollster must have caught the baggers when there was not someone there to tell them what to think.
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread–9/30/2010”
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4:07 You must really be tired today Tom.
After reading the entire Wash Post article, I realized that even some RepublicanTs are getting fed up with the Tea-baggers antics.
I experience that sticker shock every time I walk into a grocery store, even with the whopping $16. a month NYS gives me for food stamps.
I was!
To a degree, but it’s mostly an act.
Me too. My online shop was the inspiration for that.
5:15 When you hear the wealthy protesting “class warfare”, maybe they have reason to be scared? Poor things!…NOT
Riiiiiiight!!
3:55 Given the name of the puzzle (Critter on Purple), I had to win this one. I am 87 out of 273 (319).
I kept looking for you in the pic and it screwed me up!! 😉
Immigration Law — Hispanics are 4% of the state population yet they feel they need an immigration law that would legalise racial profiling among other things? What about other groups of people, let’s say Chinese or Vietnamese or Cambodians. Will this law also extend to them where they will have to proove their right to be there when they are asked? Or is the law directed specifically at Hispanics by name? As senior police officials have said, they need all their resources to fight crime, not check up on people who might or might not be illegally in the country. There is too great a chance of the violation of civil rights. And the judge, shame on her in going party line in stead of with the law.
Capitol Hill — “I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Harris [R-Md] said. “Nothing is being done normally in Washington anymore.” Well I wonder why that is? Is it maybe that there are too many Republican obstructionists and Teabaggers in Washington. With government there will always be disagreements, but I don’t remember ever hearing the likes of what we see now ever before. Mind, I do live north of the 49th so just maybe . . .
Class Warfare — And to think that one of the better known Republicans (I wish I could remember his name) mentioned that Republicans were solidly behind the party on the main issues. When I saw the poll results on Rachel Maddow, I started to laugh. Just goes to show just how out of touch the leadership is with the rank and file. And the mighty (well at least in their minds) will fall! When I stopped laughing, I said “Put that in your pipe and smoke it, you bastards!” then I started laughing again because I was talking out loud to myself.
Sticker Shock — I damn near have a coronary everytime I even look in the direction of the grocery store. I don’t know what grocery prices are like in the US, but I know that in Canada there are some significant regional disparaties. Often times, fresh produce is cheaper in Ontario than in BC. I also know that I could buy a pound of butter here in Vancouver a couple of years ago for $3.23 where as my mother would pay close to $4 — a difference attributed to transportation costs. Our groceries are likely to rise by about 15% we’ve been told. In addition, we pay GST on junk food and other ingestibles as well as on many deli items.
Lynn, that could applies to anyone who is not Republican white. It would certainly apply to Asians and they could even harass African Americans. There is precedent for accusing a native born American of being from Kenya.
I live south of the 49th, and I’ve never seen anything like it.
Republicans always claim to be doing the people’s will. To them, people begin at $1,000,000.
Me too. What cost me $175 five years ago, now costs me almost $300.