Yesterday I was feeling pretty poorly and spent most of the day in bed, but I had a network glitch that took about two hours to restore, and I caught up my email backlog. I’m also doing laundry as I write and post. I hate laundry!! I’m current with replies. Today I’ll be out doing errands,if I can.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 6:03 (average 7:10). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From AP/Google: Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback apologized Monday for his office’s response to a disparaging Twitter post by a high school senior who was attending a school function at the state Capitol.
"My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize," Brownback said in a Monday statement emailed to The Associated Press. "Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms."
Horse feathers! The lying ideologue saw the public outcry and is blaming his staff. I do not believe they went after her in school without getting an OK from him.
From CBS: Citing the political challenges he faced because of congressional redistricting, prominent Democratic Rep. Barney Frank on Monday announced he will not seek re-election in 2012.
"I don’t want to be torn [between] a full-fledged campaign… and my obligation to my current constituents," Frank said from the Newton, Massachusetts City Hall.
His district is substantially changed. Since he was planning to retire in 2014 anyway, I think he wants to avoid the hard campaigning it will take to familiarize his new constituents. He broke ground as the first openly gay Representative in the US House.
From The Daily Beast: Americans can learn more about foreign policy from The Real Housewives of New Jersey than from Republican presidential hopefuls. At least the shrieks of the housewives speak to reality. The Republican wolves howl about a mostly bygone world of dire military threats, a world inhabited by global ghosts to be thwarted by waterboarding and wars. Most of them just don’t see that the old right-wing rhetorical bromides that once scared Americans and dominated campaigning won’t win future elections.
Republicans could only play the fear card so many times before Americans start to remember that they are the ones who let Osama get away and that 9/11 would not have happened without their total incompetence.
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread–11/29/2011”
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Gov Brownback — Whether they went after the student with his knowledge or without , he is still responsible for his staff whether he likes it or not. They went after her under his name. I agree that the only reason he is apologising is the outcry. And his statement : “Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms.” Under his breath he probably added this caveat “as long as you’re GOP, but I’ll eat this one to keep the chair Republican.” Slime ball!
Rep Barney Frank — under those circumstances, can’t fault him for not running again. It does make more sense for continuity if the democrats can get a solid candidate in there and keep the seat democratic.
Foreign Policy — From what I can see, the hawk Republican/Teabaggers are still fighting the Cold War, but instead of Russia and Communism as the nemesis, it is the dire threat of an Islamic take over and the lack of oil that is fueling their blood lust and greed. After all, if they don’t make everyone believe in the boogeyman, how are they going to keep the profits in the military industrial complex. I think people are tired of wars and want attention paid to domestic issues such as jobs and the environment. In my mind, climate change is the new war that has to be waged in order to make the planet sustainable. And that will take a lot of diplomacy to work with every nation on the earth.
Cartoon — When you have cats in your life, the holiday is never over! Love the cartoon. Looks like a natural swimmer!
I wanted to respond to Lynn, but my “puter” won’t let me, or I’m deficient in that area (wouldn’t surprise me, I’m ashamed of the time it takes me to do the puzzles – I thought I could blame my “puter” there as well – ugh!) – totally agree with Lynn on “poop”back – that guy’s scum! As for Barney, being originally from the Newton area myself, it could be dangerously close – that’s in a very republican neighborhood – I can only hope that he he can hand the baton to another dem (least-wise hope so) – but knowing that area of the State a Texas-like gerrymander procedure has already taken place that’s where the 1% reside. Poor kitty in cartoon! I feel exactly like that – after missed plane yesterday – got home from Seattle at 2 AM and to bed at 3 – up just a wee bit later at 7 – the cartoon “hits the spot” – hope you feel better TomCat – my son catapulted me back into “paleo” so with a change in diet, I hope to regain some of my health and a better weight myself! First let’s get some rest!
It worked, Lee. Thanks!
Exactly!
My thought too.
Wait till you see tomorrow’s lead.
Thanks!
Living in the KCMO metro, you’ll be glad to learn that Emma Sullivan is getting huge props for her stand against Brownback. And her Tweet hashtag of #heblowsalot about Brownback is Spot On – she’s earned her 3,000+ new Twitter followers!
Wonderful!
5:58
Your last sentence says it all about their foreign policy. They know nothing, they just try to play on fear. “Republicans could only play the fear card so many times before Americans start to remember that they are the ones who let Osama get away and that 9/11 would not have happened without their total incompetence.”
That’s three days in a row you beat me.
Thanks!