I’m writing for tomorrow and feeling quite tired after going out to run errands and doing a bunch of volunteer paperwork, so I’m going to limit myself to just this article today. I hope you are all staying warm and safe.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:07 (average 4:55). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: In a 2004 ceremony in Orange County, N.Y., Robina Asti, a World War II veteran and pilot, married her longtime sweetheart, Norwood Patton. After Norwood passed away in 2012, Robina applied for survivor’s benefits, and a terrible thing happened. Listen to her story.
In my opinion, she should have been accorded the same treatment that any other widow would have received.
From YouTube: Plans to beat Boehner on Minimum Wage & Immigration – Rachel Maddow
I see this as a lose-lose scenario for Republicans. If Democrats get the required number of signatures, we the people win. However, I think that getting twenty eight Republicans to sign it, without being able to use Agent Orange (Boehner) as cover, is not likely. Nevertheless, we get to put all Republicans who refuse to sign it on front street. When we make Republicans demonstrate who they really are to voters, they lose.
From The New Yorker: Dear subscribers,
Today, it was announced that Comcast is joining forces with Time Warner Cable in a friendly acquisition worth $45 billion. As we could have expected, many people are wondering what this transaction will mean to the service that you, our subscribers, will enjoy.
We know that all of your comments, however mean-spirited some of them may have been, have come from a good place: genuine concern about what this merger will mean for your future cable service. At Comcast/Time Warner, we care deeply about those concerns, and, to help allay them, here are some answers to the Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s) we have received since the merger was announced.
Q: How will the merger affect the price of my cable service?
A: There is no clear answer to that. But we will be introducing financing options, roughly similar to those that enabled you to attend college.
Once again Andy’s satire is virtually true. Click through for the rest. The deal should not be allowed to go through because of antitrust laws.
Cartoon: 
13 Responses to “Open Thread–2/15/2014”
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3:17 Damn it TC, you're moving so fast that the bridge is giggling and throwing me off stride!
:14 I think Tom is jiggling the bridge to try and knock us all off. Maybe Jerry can stay on.
3:14 I dropped the 3 when Tom knocked me off the bridge.
3:39 I fell off the bridge.
Time 2:46 – too much green.
I'm wondering if the satellite dish companies will survive this coming take over of all cable companies.
I still cannot watch the videos, because I have not been able to work on the speaker situation.
Andy of course, was right on the mark. I think we should be wary of this as we should be wary of the lack of regulations and inspections of all business. Have we not seen enough to demand that regulations must be in effect to protect the pubic?
Thanks TC wishing you a good rest and quick recovery.
I meant to remark on the revised history of the Maine. Though it is possible that no one knew for certain what happened at the time, the explosion did work rather well for those who were determined to have a war.
6:27. I couldn't see the preview today – but that's actually the way I normally prefer to solve jigsaws. So I at least had fun.
Upworthy – This shouldn't even require new rules to resolve. This is an injustice under any rules. The marriage certificate was issued between a male and a female. I see she appealed but has yet to receive a response. Senator Gillibrand, are you listening?
Rachel – TC, you are right. But when (I wish I could say if, but you all know I can't) we don't get the Republicans to sign, we need to throw a LOT into getting publicity for calling the Rethugs out, and we need to keep that publicity in the public eye for, what, nine months? Along with getting out the vote. We have our work cut out for us, don't we?
New Yorker – Here: http://www.care2.com/news/member/451276626/3728066 on Care2 is an article about this which includes links to multiple petitions. All the links are in the comments, and sorry, none is direct, you have to cut and paste, and the link is not given to Bernie's poll, but how hard is Bernie Sanders to find.
Cartoon – What misstexaskitty said.
Discharge Petition… smile 🙂
5:06
Upworthy: That is a heart breaking video. I hope there is a petition to sign to demand she be given her widow's rights. Sad that our government would treat her this way.
Rachel Maddow: Love this idea. The Republicans are all ready down in all the polls. This could really bite them if they fight it. Alison Grimes is ahead of McConnell in the polls partly because she is supporting a raise in the minimum wage.
The New Yorker: HOpefully, this deal will go down the same way the Directv/Dish merger did. We have too many corporations that control a majority of our tv and newspapers as it is. Don't need this one.
Cartoon: Guess that was their Benghazi.
I hope you feel better soon.
Puzzle — 3:17 Damn it TC, you're moving so fast that the bridge is jiggling and throwing me off stride!
Upworthy — I saw this a couple of days ago and was absolutely stunned!
Robina says it all.
Youtube — Discharge petitions! What a concept! The electorate need to learn just how lame their elected representatives are.
I heard on the news the other day that Washington was not working because of the big storm. Being the cheeky Canuck that I am, before more could be said, I thought that is not unusual. At the best of times, with the shenanigans of the Republicanus/Teabaggers, Washington does not work . . . it accomplishes almost nothing of value. If the Congress were a for profit organisation, the CEO would be firing a whole lot of people.
The New Yorker — Any doubt that management of the 2 companies — Comcast and Time Warner Cable — are Republicanus/Teabaggers and only interested in profits. Andy does it again!
Cartoon — From Wikipedia:
I wonder if the mystery will ever be truly solved.
Thanks everyone. Lynn's big feet knocked us all off the bridge, except Kitty Kitty!!
On the Maine, there is no hull evidence supporting an initial external explosion, and Perry's Philipine invasion fleet, supposedly a response to the sinking, sailed before the Maine was destroyed.
I think you're maligning my big feet. But really, I was fourth behind you, Patty and of course Miss Kitty. You can't get out of your jiggling ways that easily. How very Republican trying to divert!
Very touching story. ♥