I’m writing for tomorrow and am feeling angry, because my fourth automatic drip coffee maker in under a year died last night. I’ve had it. I’m going back to an old fashioned manual percolator, but until it arrives on Tuesday, I have to hand-drip water through the maker’s filtration system. NOT fun!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:14 (average 6:09). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: A majority of small business owners want to see the minimum wage raised to $10.10 an hour and then tied to inflation, according to a new poll conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner for Small Business Majority. Not only did 57 percent of small business owners say they think the minimum wage should be raised, but 61 percent of those in the typically low-wage retail and restaurant industries agreed.
Aside from basic morality, these business owners have good reasons for supporting a minimum wage increase:
More than half of small business owners (52%) agree with this statement: “Increasing the minimum wage would be good for small businesses. It means people will have a higher percentage of their income to spend on goods and services and it is proven that low-wage earners tend to spend money at local businesses who will be able to grow and hire new workers.” What’s more, more than one-third (35%) say raising the minimum wage would help make their business more competitive because business competitors won’t be able to undercut them on labor costs.
Since 82 percent of those surveyed said they pay all of their employees more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, the concerns about being undercut by competitors could be significant.
The Republicans falsely claim that raising the minimum wage will cost jobs are based solely on their desire to subsidize 0.1% billionaires with YOUR tax dollars.
From Alternet: Megyn Kelly scoffs at atheist’s claim that the cross is a religious symbol.
Somebody was not paying proper attention in Sunday school, and has been very, very naughty. We’re talking to you, Megyn.
There is a steel beam cross in the center of the World Trade Center memorial. It was found in the wreckage and seen as a miracle by some Christians. The activist group American Atheists are suing to have the cross removed, claiming that as an inherently religious symbol, it has no place in a publicly funded monument. They point out that people of multiple faiths, and even those without faith at all, died in the disaster.
“The cross is Christian," said David Silverman of the American Atheists during his appearance on the Kelly Files. "It was installed in a religious service on consecrated ground, which makes it a working shrine on public land in the World Trade Center, and we think the atheists who also died on 9/11, and the Muslims and the Jews, should all have their equal presence,”
Nope, Megyn Kelly said. The cross is not religious. It’s just a historical artifact. Nothing Christian about it. Tough luck, atheists, Jews and Muslims.
Got it, the cross is not Christian. Next week: the Bible, not a book.
Watch the entire interview posted online by Cruciefiction.
This is one of eight statements made by Republican colossal jackasses in just the last week alone. Click through for the other seven.
From Bill Moyers: As the tea party celebrates its fifth birthday this month, Ian Haney López, author of Dog Whistle Politics, talks to Bill about how the movement has used strategic racism to get voters to the polls.
I have to agree to a great extent, with the caveat that sheeple, who commit TEAbuggery, do so because they are too lazy and/or fearful to do their own thinking.
Cartoon:
He had more to say, but the operator cut in and demanded $2.65 for the next three minutes. 😉
12 Responses to “Open Thread–3/10/2014”
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3:18 I'm in a hurry for sunnier days when I can wear my shades.
5:10 I forgot my sunglasses.
3:38 We already have sunny days. But I'm afraid that into every sunny day, a little rain must fall.
Daily Kos ~ WalFart leads the march fighting against raising minimum wages because they would lose a small percentage of their profits to small business owners. I get sick and tired of small business having to close their doors because they can't compete with the giant Welfare Queens.
Alternet ~ The weekly Hit Parade was on the mark, Oops! They did it again. RepublicanTs should make that song their theme song. They just can't stop themselves from opening their mouths and proving themselves to be fools.
Bill Moyers ~ Mr. Lopez is right in his assessment that TeaBuggers and RepubliThugs couldn't get elected if they told the truth.
Cartoon ~ Alexander Graham Bell preferred "Ahoy" over the accepted "Hello" favored by Edison to answer the telephone.
6:18 Got blindsided
Daily Kos – It could be 110% and the Repugs would still not listen. But in addition to wanting to subsidize billionaires, they also want to torpedo the Dems and make Obama look bad. Aren't these the same old white men who always said women were too emotional to govern?
Alternet – I think I see where Tea Party Barbie is coming from on this. She thinks it "isn't Christian" because it isn't man-made. it was found. But as usual she hasn't thought it through. It's actually not that surprising to find a cross in the ruins of a building – they're all made with cross-beams. What would she say of they had found a crescent and star formed by the rubble? Would she say that was "not Muslim"? Give me a break.
Bill Moyers – Given that this is their strategy, does the show continue, or does the book continue, to suggest how to oppose it? My local station has been fundraising so I have missed a couple of Moyers shows (they were bumped by big box specials).
Cartoon – LOL!
Sorry about the coffee pot, Tom – they surely do not make appliances like they used to. What once lasted 30 years is now lucky to last 6. And now that everything is digital, it's easier and cheaper to buy new than fix. I'm sure it's yet another Republican plot.
Driving the tea party – that lady in the purple hoodie is exactly the type the tea party loves most. Overweight because she doesn't eat the right foods which she probably can't afford because she probably makes minimum wage. Probably does her main shopping at Walmart, does her eating out at McDonald's – goes home to watch Faux Noise every night where she complains loudly about this administration. Doesn't know there is such a thing as FactCheck or Snopes and wouldn't believe them if she did.
Time 4: 24 – ouch! That one was tough!
I have had my Keurig for years and never a problem. Great coffee and no muss or fuss.
Of course small business owner see the advantages in paying a higher wage, who is supposed to support their businesses, the Koch's? Each time a discussion about minimum wage comes up we go through these long drawn out discussions, with pontifications by the republicans about minimum wage killing jobs. Though historically that is not true.
Some how when Congress gives themselves a pay raise there is not a word is spoken.
A cross has been a symbol of Christian identity for nearly 2 thousand years and suddenly it is not? Okay then anyone has a right to defame a cross because Meygan Kelly says, "Nothing Christian about it. Tough luck, atheists, Jews and Muslims." Where does Fox find these low lifes, hiding under rocks no doubt. This woman is particularly repugnant.
Tea bags are interesting in that many have used the vote for their own best interest; while tea bags vote against themselves. That does take a special kind of stupid.
"Mr Watson, look what they have done with my phone!"
Have great day TC
I have been having the same problem with the automatic drip coffee makers, they seem to all be defective.
Daily Kos: The Repubs keep saying they want to help small business owners. aren' t they listening to them? As I have said before, business owners hate for the minimum wage to be raised because that cuts into their obscene profits.
Alternet: I clicked through, now I am sick at my stomach. Such idiots!
Bill Moyers: I agree, those who suscribe to the Tea Party are too lazy to do their own thinking. Or…. they are racists.
Cartoon: Wonder what he would think of today's phones?
Puzzle — 3:38 We already have sunny days. But I'm afraid that into every sunny day, a little rain must fall.
Daily Kos — Sounds like the small business segment understands the relationship between a living wage and business health, and like billionaire Nick Hanauer, understands who the real job creators are. The Republicanus/Teabaggers should be listening!
Alternet — "…Gov. Mead has previously said he is "unconvinced climate change is man-made.” …'
Sounds like this governor has been listening to former US VP Dan Quayle (R) who said :
Very bright Danny boy!
What can be said but that these idiots are all Republicanus/Teabagger haters and lunatics!
Bill Moyers — A policy of racism and hate is alive and well in the GOP. The Republicanus/Teabaggers have figured out how to leverage that racism and hate, unfortunately. What it takes are "sheeple". Lazy indeed!
Cartoon — I spent most of my formative years in Brantford, Ontario . . . the Telephone City. The Bell estate wasa Tutela Heights just outside Brantford. Every kid learned about Bell's discoveries. I think Bell would be astounded to know how far the telephone has come, even to the creation of the first "cell phone" in 1973 by Martin Cooper.
Hand dripping coffee sounds almost as exciting as watching grass grow! I know you're a coffee fanatic so my condolences over the untimely demise of your coffee perc.
Thanks all. My firswt drip cofee maker lastred over 10 years, so I believe that today's flimsy quality is intentional.
You're probably right. I just replaced my 37 year old furnace. I was told that furnaces today last 7 – 10 years. That's a long way from 37 years!