I’m writing early in what should (hopefully) be a one day heat spell. It’s just after Noon, and the temperature as already 86° at my desk. Not fun! I wish these patches would stop sputtering out. I’m running out of matches.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:36 (average 5:36). To do it, click here.
Short Takes:
From Think Progress: Parts of Alberta, Canada were hit by extreme flooding the size of New York State on Friday, forcing 75,000 to evacuate their homes. Hit by heavy rain, people have abandoned their cars and low-lying residences in flooded waters Mayor Naheed Nenshi described as “an ocean at the moment.”
Across the world, cities in Germany have also been wrecked by flooding — one estimate puts the damage as high as $7.7 billion. Climate science explains that global warming leads to a 5 to 10 percent increase in rainfall, and subsequently leads to a higher risk of flooding.
As Climate Central notes in its reporting on the Calgary floods: “A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on June 9 found that flood frequency as well as the number of people at risk of inundation from flood events are both likely to increase as the world continues to warm.”
Gee! Increasing temperatures that melt ice caps, putting more water into the world’s weather system actually increases flooding? Who would have imagined!! I know who wouldn’t have! Scheeeesch!!
From Raw Story: A federal judge slashed 10 years off of his prison sentence of former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling on Friday, a decision that could set him free as early as 2017.
U.S. District Judge Simeon Lake reduced his term to 14 years from 24 years, accepting a deal struck between prosecutors and Skilling’s lawyers that will end years of appeals.
Under the deal, more than $40 million of Skilling’s fortune, which has been frozen since his conviction in 2006, will be distributed to victims of Enron’s collapse.
It would have been better to increase Skilling’s sentence each time he refused to return stolen funds to his victims, instead of allowing him to buy a shorter sentence with his ill gotten gains. That’s unequal justice favoring a 1% vulture capitalist.
From YouTube: Senator Jeff Merkley speaks at Netroots Nation 2013.
I promised to bring you Jeff’s keynote speech, when I could. Here it is. It’s worth the 25 minutes. Oregon leads the way!
Cartoon:
Note that even the Republican Jobs, Jobs, Jobs from coat hangers have been offshored.
15 Responses to “Open Thread–6/23/2013”
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Hooray – I can type here again! I do agree TC, Jeff Merkley's speech is very good – and considering that he had such a stressful journey to get to the venue he is admirably cool calm and collected. 'If we are willing to work together and to fight – we can be an unstoppable force…' and we must use every legal means across the globe to motivate people and get them active in real democracy!
Good grief – only 40% of the jobs got back after the Recession are living wage jobs – that is APPALLING!!
He is right that there has been a co-ordinated Republican effort to block the nominations to important appointments to cripple President Obama and the government of the country.
I absolutely applaud his promotion of green energy and home renovation grants to people – that is vital. He is utterly right about climate change – if the climate gets much hotter the glaciers will all melt – and hundreds of millions of people around the world will be on the move to attempt to save their lives and the lives of those they love…. awful beyond contemplation. In addition there will be weather chaos around the world – as mentioned higher in TC's article. Here is the small area of the UK we have seen in the last handful of years the hottest, wettest, driest, most stormy, most snowy years for a hundred years – all in succession!
"We have to end our fossil fuel addiction!" Amen brother – may God bless and protect you! Amen.
You are right TC – he is worth listening to – every minute!
Congrats, Pat.
I'm so glad that I volunteered for his campaign, when i could still do such things.
3:33 Gadzooks! Someone has been having great difficulty as the average time is now showing as 7:30! Either that or Jigzone's computers had a brain fart!
4:17 I had a flat tire.
Maybe two of them.
Bigfootged! Even two minutes is no longer safe.!
And it has changed since I did it, right affter it came out.
4:39 I had 4 flat tires!
Puzzle — 3:33 Gadzooks! Someone has been having great difficulty as the average time is now showing as 7:30! Either that or Jigzone's computers had a brain fart!
Think Progress — In Calgary, the Bow and Elbow rivers do flood but this is the absolute worst. The Saddledome, home to the Calgary Flames hockey team, was flooded to the 10th row of seats. All the electrical rooms, dressing rooms including all the players' equipment, and some other areas are completely under water. We are accustomed to the Red River busting out in Manitoba, but this is unprecedented. PM Harper, a climate denier, took a helicopter ride over Calgary to look at the damage. And of course, this is his province. High River was flooded out, and other cities, including Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat are on flood alert. The receeding waters in Calgary have to go somewhere, so look out! I wonder if Harper believes in climate change now? What a putz!
Raw Story — What a travesty of justice! There should be a limit on the number of appeals, especially in such cases. When I think of the losses for investors and the reems of paper work spawned by this travesty (think Sarbane Oxley), my oh my, he really got off light! I hope he and his Gucci shoes are left homeless!
YouTube — Warren/Merkley 2016! I know you said 2024 yesterday, but I want it NOW! He spoke with integrity (foreign word to all Republican/Teabaggers) and passion. Go Merkley!
Cartoon — Nothing changes with the Republican/Teabaggers except the depth of their depravity! It keeps getting deeper!
Bigfooted. It did!
I know where all the water can go. Get Harper a giant enema bag.
My point exactly, but you have the perspective to kjow it better than I.
I want it now too, but … see today's top article.
Bingo!
Just to show you how gullible I am, after your first couple of references to "lighting" your patches – I was so thoroughly confused I actually started Googling to see exactly HOW those patches were supposed to work.
D'oh!
LOL Don't feel bad, Nameless. When my Quit For Life coach called, she became quite concerned that my only symptom of Chantix side effects was sacrificing my next door neighbor to the :evil:. 🙂
Your continued sense of humour is proof that you are succeeding. You have a ways to go, and it certainly isn't easy, but you are winning! Keep at it bud!
At a time like this, humor is the only vaccine capable of preventing InsaniTEA. 🙁
I hpe the patches quit sputtering and start helping. My husband quit cold turkey and for three weeks neither he nor I had a moment's peace. I wish he had used patches,
Edie, I'm not really trying to light them. 🙂