Yesterday I planned to rest all day, but following the best laid plans of mice and men, my Christmas present to me came early, and I could not resist opening it. Because I am not an Olympic weightlifter, because I do not have engineering degrees, and because I obviously do not speak the language of whoever wrote the documentation, there is nothing easy about unpacking, setting up and installing a color laser all-in-one. Six hours later, my first color document in hand, I crawled into bed for a few hours. I’ll be moving back to full-time blogging over the next couple weeks.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:42 (average 5:02). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Religious Agony:
Had I been able to watch and meditate properly, this would never have happened. It’s Comcast’s fault!! 👿
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: LA-Sen: Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu is running a new ad that’s all about her efforts to fix Obamacare—specifically, the legislation she introduced that would require insurers to keep offering individual plans that they’ve been cancelling as the insurance exchanges have opened up. While the bill is a political winner for her, I’m not so sold on how her spot presents things, since the first 10 seconds contain news clips that only remind viewers of the debacle in the first place, before even getting to Landrieu’s attempt to ameliorate the problem.
LA is especially tough, since Republicans used Katrina to make the state, and especially New Orleans, more white, but we clearly need a progressive to challenge Landrieu for the Democratic nomination. However, in the general election, voting for even this DINO garbage is better than voting for a third party and giving it to a Republican. Click through for more election news.
From NY Times: Representative Paul D. Ryan’s eight terms in Congress have produced much political celebrity and Republican respect but just two laws bearing the Ryan name — a renamed post office and a modified excise tax on arrows like the ones he uses for bow hunting.
Then on Tuesday he struck a budget deal with Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, that affixed a new label to the polished veneer of Mr. Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican: deal maker and, to some, traitor.
To be honest, I’ve been too far out of the loop to render an opinion on this budget deal, but there must be at least something positive about it to bring on the ire against Fartfuhrer Walker’s pet Ayn Rand disciple. So it’s 90% bad, at worst.
From Think Progress: With her confirmation to the second highest court in the nation very early Thursday morning, Judge Nina Pillard should immediately rocket to the top of the Democratic shortlist of potential nominees to the Supreme Court. Though there are a number of Democratic judges who possess the youth, brilliance and legal credentials required from a new Supreme Court justice, Pillard brings something to the bench that is quite rare among judges — she’s won two of the most important civil rights victories to reach the Supreme Court during her career.
She would never have been confirmed, had not Leg Hound Harry finally taken my advice, used his ObamaBalls, and nuked the Republican Filibastards.
Cartoon:
The implications boggle the mind. Had we had a competent President, September 11, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the biggest tax giveaway to the super-rich in history, and the Republican financial collapse and recession would not have happened.
12 Responses to “Open Thread–12/13/2013”
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Thanks TC. The "stolen" election makes me ill to think about it————–.
December 13, 2000 was indeed a dark day ~ I think we all often wonder what if???? What if we'd had a decent president? What if we'd not declared war in Iraq? What if we didn't have this huge budget deficit? So many what if's … that is some legacy you left, George W and Dick Dumfart…
4:45 I got hung up in the reeds. Thankfully, I didn't drown.
3:19 I slid right over the edge quickly.
Glad to see you back, Tom. I am on my way to Volunteer job so will have to read your articles later. My 49ers won over the Seahawks. You would think that I would be rooting for Seattle as that is where I live but I left my heart in San Francisco. Sorru about your Broncos and willing to blame anything on Comcast.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy%27s_Day Happ St. Lucia Day! You didn't get an early Christmas present. It was a St. Lucia's Day present.
Daily Kos ~ We need a REAL Democrat to take her place. Most times when she speaks, I think I'm listening to a Republican.
NY Times ~ I didn't know what to think of the compromise when news first broke. But now that I found out that "Americans for Prosperity, the advocacy group backed by the billionaire brothers, Charles and David Koch, and Koch Industries" came out against it, I know it must be allright. Paul Ryan might have just lost his Fairy Godfathers.
Think Progress ~ Thanks for the good news.
Cartoon ~ A very sad day in American history.
5:21 – Nice to see you back TC… 💡
5:10 Too cold and sleepy today.
NY Times – I am not crazy about it myself – I got an email from Bernie that was also not enthusiastic (sorry, I don't still have it – but it was on the order of this was less catastrphic than it might have been) but seemed a little relieved at no shutdown. The Farm Bill is not passed yet – I believe they did a 2-month extension of the current one? – so we can still fight for food stamps.
I haven't had time to look at everything I wanted to either. Hope I can catch up a little tomorrow.
Get your Kleenex ready for a Soweto Gospel Choir flash mob singing "Goodbye" to Mandela …
Hamba Kakuhle [Farewell – Literally. "Go Well"]
Tata Madiba [Father Madiba – NOTE: these are terms of intimate familiarity and should probably NOT be used by Westerners – but it's in the closing of the video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHHjP7XrBq0#t=2
(Even though I can't hear them, I found the expressions and reactions of the audience very moving … a nation that clearly loved the man)
Religious Agony: Yes, we shall blame Comcast.
What is a color laser?
Daily Kos: Landrieu is for Landrieu, and all her ads and political stances are just for that reason.
NY Times: Anything Ryan proposes bodes ill for the poor and middle class. Sad that he gets so much attention.
Think Progress: Harry needs to take more advice from you.
Cartoon: ONe of the worst nights of my life in regard to politics. I wish he had fought them.
Thanks everyone. It was my intent ro return to replying to comments individually tonight. I'm sorry. I'm out of gas. .