I’m writing for tomorrow and feeling quite tired, because congestion from COPD has been interfering with my sleep, and because, now that the ice is gone, street noise is high from picking up days of built up garbage.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:36 (average 7:07). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: Potential Republican Presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) said today that he believes he has a “secret weapon” that will derail Hillary Clinton’s 2016 White House bid: “A little-known affair between her husband and a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.”
Appearing on the Fox News Channel, Paul told the host Sean Hannity, “Sean, when the American people find out about this scandal, they are going to be shocked, truly shocked. It didn’t get a lot of coverage at the time.”
Asked by Hannity how the scandal could have remained under wraps for so long, Paul replied, “You’ll have to ask Bill and Hillary that. Let’s just say they’ve pulled a lot of strings to keep this story out of the mainstream media.”
LOL Andy! That does seem to be what Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot thinks. I guess 24/7 wasn’t enough for him.
From Daily Kos: The Newark Star Ledger reports:
The New Jersey legislative committee investigating the Bridgegate scandal will probe records of helicopter rides Gov. Chris Christie took to see if he flew near Fort Lee while lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge were closed, sources told The Post … Sources in the governor’s office said that Christie took a ferry to Ground Zero from Jersey City on the 9/11 anniversary and then flew back to Trenton, but that Wildstein was not on board.
I was particularly struck by the reference to the helicopter ride on 9/11, because I was recently told by an informed source that "if the records are subpoenaed for the governor’s trip back from the 9/11 Memorial event, they will demonstrate that the governor flew over the George Washington Bridge" on that day. It appears that those records have been subpoenaed and the governor’s office has not issued a denial that the flyover occurred.
I bet PIGnocchio’s pilot betrayed him by flying over the crime scene without his knowledge, and that PIGnicchio was asleep at the time. NOT!
From NY Times: The right to vote is the foundation of any democracy, yet nearly six million Americans are denied that right, in many cases for life, because they have been convicted of a crime. Some states disenfranchise more than 7 percent of their adult citizens.
In an unflinching speech before a civil rights conference Tuesday morning, Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. described this shameful aspect of our justice system for what it is: a “profoundly outdated” practice that is unjust and counterproductive.
State laws that disenfranchise people who have served their time “defy the principles — of accountability and rehabilitation — that guide our criminal justice policies,” Mr. Holder said in urging state lawmakers to repeal them. “By perpetuating the stigma and isolation imposed on formerly incarcerated individuals, these laws increase the likelihood they will commit future crimes.”
I fully agree with Holder. In my volunteer experience, I have seen that the more of a stake former prisoners have in their communities, the more likely they are to invest themselves in staying crime free. Restoration reduces recidivism.
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread–2/13/2013”
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6:11 I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place on this puzzle.
5:14 I was stoned!
4:48 I think I will get stoned.
New Yorker ~ I had to step back and read this twice. I can't believe he is actually dredging up this old scandal. Doesn't he remember the Impeachment hearings? Was he still living under a rock when that happened? He may just have elevated himself to Chief Idiot.
Daily Kos ~ I can't wait to hear Pignocchio's explanation of how he didn't see the traffic jams.
NY Times ~ After they have served their sentences to pay for their crimes they should be allowed to vote again. Preventing them from voting accomplishes nothing positive.
Cartoon ~ Any bats in that cave, Johhny Boy?
I have been "off" MSNBC for awhile, needed to take a break from the anxiety of feelings of hitting a wall with every turn from the Republican Party. But as someone here recently pointed out, only on MSNBC will you hear and see the whole story cleanly reported as in the "Christie" ongoing drama/comedy. Guess I need to woman-up and get back into the daily grind. Thanks for the wake up call. Hope you feel better soon and get that much needed rest/sleep.
Welcome Lynda! 🙂
Keep coming back!!
8:42 I knew from TC's time and the average it would be tough, but that was really rocky.
Andy – Priceless.
Christie – No surprise surely? The book that gets written on Bridgegate will end up being either a humor classic – or a fantasy classic – or maybe both will get written LOL.
Voting – TC, you nailed it. You said what Holder said, but you said it more clearly, in plainer language, and in terms a moron should be able to understand.
Update: On the 2/9 Open Thread, one of the topics was Sam Zell's remarks. Now a little known group (OK, I had never heard of it) has started a petition to get him removed from the Board of Directors of the property where they live. You can check it out at http://act.retirementsecurityvoices.org/page/s/petition-tell-els-shareholder-to-oppose-sam-zell-s-election-to-board-of-directors. (I signed and repeated on the petition the comment I made here.)
$hit is getting Deep…
7:34
I hope you are feeling better. We both have had a respiratory virus for ten days now, feel better today, but am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I wish you could get well completely.
The New Yorker" I think dredging up this old news is going to bite Rand, at least, I hope it does.
Daily Kos: Your explanation is probably right. We know Christie would not have flown over the crime scene knowingly! wink wink
NY Times: There is a bill in the Ky State Senate to address this problem here. Both my Rep and Sen have assured me they will vote for it. I hope it passes in this red state.
Cartoon: I really don't want to feel sorry for Boehner.
Puzzle — 5:14 I was stoned!
New Yorker — Have to love Andy! Idiot, Son of Idiot, Named after Idiot is being true to his calling as a Republicanus/Teabagger! Where no scandal exists, they try to make them. Issa and Limbaugh are other prime examples but not the only ones by far.
Daily Kos — . . . more cookie crumbs Mr Christie! You know what we do with crumbs? . . . sweep them into the garbage!
NY Times — “By perpetuating the stigma and isolation imposed on formerly incarcerated individuals, these laws increase the likelihood they will commit future crimes.”
My initial reaction as I was reading the Times was that if you "give" an individual a stake, you are more likely to have someone WANT to be able to be active. Take that incentive away and you will get apathy. Then I read your comment TC. Surprise, surprise we're coming from the same direction.
Cartoon — Ah! the Weeper of the House! He looks a little pale. Being 2014, I think he has his knickers in a bunch and might be a bit afraid of pissing off the electorate.
Thanks everyone.
Kudos to Joanne.
No surprise, Lynn,.