I’m writing for tomorrow and am feeling quite tired after my volunteer day. The trip down was a little stressful, because the friend with whom I went forgot her ID and had to return home to get it. She drove fast. I prayed faster. We barely made it and were the last two permitted in. I attended the first half of my guys’ annual banquet, an event held in the visiting room with my guys, their families, and their guests. They cater a meal, pay for it themselves, and refuse to accept my contributions. There are so many in the group that they have to split it into two sessions. The second half will be next month. While it’s primarily a social occasion, I used it to talk to the families of some of the men I work with. Hearing how hard their prisoner is working, how much he is learning, and how much he deserves their pride in him is a great reassurance for them and serves to reaffirm his commitment to do whatever it takes to change. Day 5.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:33 (average 4:04). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: Generations of small business owners, workers, and residents of the fishing village of Pointe à la Hache in Louisiana can tell you the effects of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 have eliminated many small businesses and incomes as well as their entire way of life. And yet, who will pay?
Why doesn’t BP Pay? The GOBP is protecting them.
From YouTube: Jon Stewart Exposes Sean Hannity’s Moron-Hypocrisy on Cliven Bundy
Hannity knew full well that Bundy, like Hannity himself, was a racist. The only difference between the two is that Bundy is up front about it. But the bottom line is not what wing-nuts say. It’s that Republican policies are racist.
From The New Yorker: Republican politicians blasted the Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy on Thursday for making flagrantly racist remarks instead of employing the subtler racial code words the G.O.P. has been using for decades.
“We Republicans have worked long and hard to develop insidious racial code words like ‘entitlement society’ and ‘personal responsibility,’ ” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky). “There is no excuse for offensive racist comments like the ones Cliven Bundy made when there are so many subtler ways of making the exact same point.”
Fox News also blasted the rancher.
I could not have described this more accurately than Andy’s satire does.
Cartoon:
23 Responses to “Open Thread–4/26/2014”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Hi everyone!
Well I'm almost at the end of my visit in Toronto . . . flying home Monday. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit, it will be good to get home to be with my fur babes and my usual quiet routine. I have missed being able to spend time posting etc but that will change.
TC, excellent work volunteering. I often think of your Critter (as opposed to our Critter who I also think about) and wonder how he is doing.
Take care everyone!
Safe trip hom, Lynn. you've been missed. I think we're gonna have to gang up on TomCat to beat him at a crossword puzzle. Since he moved away from his problems and got all settled in, he's almost unstoppable.
We will be glad to have you back!
What Patty and Edie said! Wewlcome home in advance.
My Critter is doing as well as our Critter!! 😀
Safe flight, Lynn – I'm glad you've enjoyed your trip and will be soon home to your fur-babies!
TC – I'm delighted to hear of your wonderful volunteer banquet, it sounds utterly brilliant – and quite exhausting! (I wonder if your first words on seeing the lady who forgot her ID just now will be 'Hi, good to see you – have you got your ID?' – good work on the praying, I'm sure it kept you safe and made sure you were allowed in!).
Andy is his usual brilliant and painfully accurate self – that sounded so true!
I love Jon Stewart – if there is a precedent from Washington in the Whisky Rebellion – I wonder just how far presidents today might take it?
Upworthy – oh America (and any nation) should be so ashamed to treat decent people like this – what has happened to the billions that they said they were going to take from BP and give to the people damaged from that appalling oil spill? I suppose it is the usual story……..
Thanks Pat. That praying was self-defense.
4:14 No doubt Republicans could think of a draft they'd like better.
Upworthy – BP says they paid. http://www.deepwaterhorizonsettlements.com/ Yeah, right. Now these people, unlike Cliven Bundy, really HAVE ancestral rights. While searching for any current petitions, I found this stie http://www.seizebp.org/ which I will sign and bookmark. It may do no good but can't do any harm.
You Tube – Yup.
New Yorker – Andy has done it again – ripped off the veil of secrecy from the public pronouncements of Republicans and revealed their true thinking. I hope he has a bodyguard!
Cartoon – Says it all.
I don't always say how much I admire you for your prison work, but I can't let this go by. This is amazing. As a family member myself, I can't help but suspect that most family members are treated like dirt by most prisons all the time. The prison is lucky to have you, and you are lucky to have the setting in which to work. As an aside (you know I can't be completely serious for long), a good gift for your friend would be a box of the individual International Delights single-serve containers with their new slogan, "Don't leave home without your IDs."
Jo, as anyone who has read the About Me page that has been on didkpay here for years knows, I got my start in prison volunteer work as a prisoner, and am just following the example of prisoners that helped me get my own life together.
LOL!! Love it!!
I have read your "About Me" page, which does something to explain you (not that anyone can be fully explained!), but it doesn't explain why the Oregon prison system allows, let alone supports, events like your banquets. I cannot imagine any prison in Colorado, public or private (and I have visited one of each) coming within a thousand miles of holding an event where multiple prisoners and visitors of multiple prisoners can mingle. In Colorado, in the common visiting rooms, prisoners are not allowed to talk to each other, or even to get up from the table they and their visitors are assigned to, except with an escort or special permission. The tables seat four and don't have legs but instead crossed tabletop-to-floor boards so that each person can only move their feet in a predetermined quarter of the floor space ubder the table. Theoretically a prisoner and a visitor may hold hands, but the table, though small, is just big enough that is one is over a certain age arthritis prevents it (we do get a "brief" hug and a "brief" kiss at arrival and departure. Whoopee).
2:59 I sank below the water line.
3:10 I never got above the water line.
CAT is where it's AT!! 🙂
It sounds like you had a good time with your guys and their families. It's nice that they are allowed to do something like this dinner. It gives them a sense of worth.
Upworthy ~ Long term effects are still just beginning to show them selves. Imagine how much worse it's going to get. BP still need to pay a lot more for the clean up and they're crying about how much it has already cost them well, isn't that just too bad!
YouTube ~ this was hilarious.Jon nailed it.
New Yorker ~ Good one, Andy!
Cartoon ~ Triple yum???
Indeed it does!
Triple YUCK!!
Related to Jon Stewart, Sean Hannity & Cliven Bundy
RACHEL MADDOW 04/24/14
Armed militia unwanted by rancher’s neighbors
Nevada Congressman Steven Horsford, who represents rancher Cliven Bundy’s district, talks with Rachel Maddow about how the citizens of his district, Bundy’s neighbors, feel about Bundy and his armed militia supporters. This is what Steven Horsford, Congressman, has to say and be prepared to be surprised: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/watch/armed-militia-unwanted-by-ranchers-neighbors-236458563703
Thanks Jim.
OFF TOPIC BUT COOL – from Roots Action Network
A Spanish judge has just determined to proceed with a case against Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld. The Spanish legislature can be expected to try to block the case, unless perhaps they hear our voices loudly and clearly enough. We began this effort in 2011, visiting Spanish embassies, placing billboards in Spain, and communicating our appreciation for Spanish efforts to prosecute U.S. torturers. Now we need another big push. Please sign this letter now, and we will deliver it to Spain: http://bit.ly/1i7BXKO
Thanks Jo! Signed!!
I got the email too and signed it. Thanks for posting it, Joanne.
TC, the work you are doing with your guys is priceless. You deserve many kudos for your hard work.
Andy has it right, there is a hidden code for their racism.
The saddest part about the cartoon is that it could happen again,
Edie, my guys are the ones that deserve the kudos!
4:54 – Puzzle
Cartoon – 3 Legged Chicken for the poor….