I’m writing for tomorrow, day 86, the last moderately cool day before another murderous hot spell. I’m a bit tired as I did defrost the freezer yesterday. Tomorrow is a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb. My meditation will be less intense than usual, because the Denver congregation already meditated so well. Next week will be a very busy one.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:16 (average 4:38). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: Hopes for a positive G20 summit crumbled today as President Obama blurted to Russia’s Vladimir Putin at a joint press appearance, “Everyone here thinks you’re a jackass.”
The press corps appeared stunned by the uncharacteristic outburst from Mr. Obama, who then unleashed a ten-minute tirade at the stone-faced Russian President.
“Look, I’m not just talking about Snowden and Syria,” Mr. Obama said. “What about Pussy Riot? What about your anti-gay laws? Total jackass moves, my friend.”
Of course this is satire, but it would have been grand!!!!
From NY Times: President Obama raced home on Friday to confront one of the biggest tests of his presidency as he ramped up a campaign to persuade Congress to support airstrikes against Syria that many world leaders he had consulted declined to back.
After two days of tense discussions, including a dinner debate that went into the morning hours, Mr. Obama left without forging an international consensus behind military action as other leaders urged him not to attack without United Nations permission. But he won agreement from some allies on blaming Syria’s government for a chemical weapons attack and on endorsing an unspecified response.
As long as Russia’s version of the Republican Party, and Fuhrer Putin, are at the helm in Russia, Obama will not get UN support. Still, ne needs much broader international support than GW ChickenHawk’s Coalition of the Bought.
From Alternet: …Former Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko declared in April that he believes every single nuclear power plant operating in the nation should be shut down, starting with the riskiest…
In a word, AMEN!
Cartoon:
Major mistake!
18 Responses to “Open Thread–9/8/2013”
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4:06 I doubt if I will flutter-by anyone today.
3:07 Will Lynn come along and deflower me?
3:29 My feet got stuck on the beautiful posie!
Crunched again!
The New Yorker ~ LOL
NY Times ~ He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. It's a given as long as he is President.
Alternet ~ Will they listen to him? Not yet and I doubt they ever will. After all, what does a former NRC Chairman know? Nothing, because he was appointed by President Obama. Sad, isn't it?
Cartoon ~ Bumbling idiot!
It was a funny one!
Bingo!
True!
Amen!
So sorry your neighbour is a lip diddling loon and kept knocking out the power TC!
Cartoon – would love to know the back-story behind that strange occurrence!
I was still living in Michigan (I grew up there) when Ford was our congressional representative from the 5th district. He was generally thought to be a nice guy, but not the brightest bulb on the tree.
I have always thought that Nixon was planning ahead – he may have been a crook, but he was a very smart crook – when he picked Ford to replace Spiro Agnew as Vice President, and that his resignation and Ford's subsequent pardoning of him were part of a package deal that began with Ford getting the Vice Presidency. No matter what Ford and others may have said about the pardon, I have never seen any evidence to convince me otherwise.
I lived in Michigan at the time and thought the same as you did. Ford was a nice guy, but he could never have been VP without some kind of deal beforehand.
There was and still are a large consensus of people who think that is what happened. As do I.
Thanks Pat. He'll never get better.
I can't prove it, but I have always thought it happened just the way John described it.
Puzzle — 3:29 My feet got stuck on the beautiful posie!
The New Yorker — What things might look like if Obama could say what he really thought! That is the great thing about AB's satire.
NY Times — If John Baird, Canada'a Foreign Relations Minister can be believed, Obama has the support of Canada. Earlier Canada said it would not support a limited assault on Syria. France etc are waiting until the UN report on the use of chemical weapons before committing. The US is not the policeman of the world and should not take on that mantle any longer. It has had its own flirtation with WMD (ie agent orange in Vietnam) and does not have the moral authority. If any action is taken, it MUST be as part of a UN action.
Alternet — Distressing that the reason for the declining use of nuclear power is not as a result of safety concerns post 3 Mile Island, post Chernobyl, post Fukishima, but rather as a result of the increase in fracking and the lower cost of fracked gas to consumers. One way or another, we are adamant that we will destroy Mother Earth. It is past time to dig in hard with alternative green energy.
Cartoon — I wonder what the price was for Ford to pardon Tricky Dicky? John, your case makes sense!
Don''tcha know it's tulpos that you tiptoe through? 😉
I agree. Harper must be a war-lover.
As much as I hate fracking, it's a better chouce than fission power. However, the jungle juice they use it it mist be made non toxic.
My best guess…. The presidency was the price, at tghe time he was appointed as VP.
How did you do? 4:26
Major mistake! September 8, 1974 – President Ford pardoned Nixon. I was in the Military…
Every single Nuclear Power Plant should be shut down declared Former Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko.
I agree… 💡
Excellent Richard! Under the average by a full 12 seconds! Keep at it!
Beat thje average!! Soon rocked will have to be assed to Bigfooted, Masher, Crunched, and Catboxed.
Me too!
Borowitz said what Obama probably wanted to say.
I think this situtation, however it turns out, has depleted any real authority for the President. He backed himself into a corner when he asked for Congressonal approval. I am against the bombing, we do not need another war, and I dont see that the act would help the Syrian people.
I totally agree, all nuclear plants should be closed. They are as dangerous as WMD, in fact, are WMD.
I agree with John Dasef on the pardon of Nixon.
Ihope you get your new apartment soon, maybe you can get a night's sleep if you do move.
I can't disagree with that!
Neither do I.
Thanks!
Ditto.
Still waiting for word!